prasantrin

Ouch! That's expensive! Maybe I should go to Kanagawa to visit the restaurant instead. They might have my "pate"!

The Matfer (Exopat) website just says "easy to clean with sponge." There is no mention on either website of any concern for human safety. All this talk of liability is a non sequitur. The language clearly says only that the dishwasher may harm the Silpat. I don't care. Let it harm my Silpat. It's not a child, a pet or even a plant. It's a rubberized silicone baking mat that costs $15. Not a question of liability. Just bad advice. It's not bad advice if people care about keeping their item in decent condition as long as possible. Not everyone can be so cavalier about $15.

No harm of which you are aware has befallen you or the mats. I would challenge you to send it in for testing every dozen or so washings to determine when/if it is damaged--whether in a way that can cause you harm, or just in losing its non-stick coating. Just because you can't see a problem, doesn't mean it isn't there. Manufacturers have warnings for reasons--so they don't get sued. They surely must have a reason to think they may be sued should a consumer do the things the manufacturer is suggesting they not do. Given the hundreds of thousands of dollars they put into researching and testing products, why would they bother spending the ink on the extra print of warnings were there not some, however miniscule, chance of a problem? That is akin to believing whole-heartedly in Wiki.

But if you're making an educated decision, then surely you're also considering that the chemicals in dishwasher detergent may be harsher than those for handwashing dishes, and that those chemicals can harm the item in question. (all quotations from Wiki) (eta--darn, slkinsey beat me to it) Anyway, to make the stretch that I'm assuming is ridiculous. I believe in the rationalization of knowledge, but that it must involve looking outside one's current knowledge base for possible alternatives, not just making judgments based on what one thinks one already knows. To me, making an educated decision implies educating oneself further, and then making the decision.

I wonder who you are talking about in this quote? I've only done it once, I swear! I also once slid a sponge along the sharp part of a knife blade and sliced my finger open that way.

Is it possible to buy chirimen that is untouched--just the raw little tiny anchovies? I've been eyeing the ones at my local grocery stores, but they all seem to have been processed in some way (salted, boiled, etc.). I want to make a sort of pate out of them.

Common sense isn't that common.

If people are smug enough to disregard the manufacturer's directions and put Silpat in the dishwasher, then it wouldn't surprise me if those same people were smug enough to put the Silpat next to knives or bend the Silpat in such a way to make it fit into a particular space, etc. etc. Then should that Silpat get cut or torn, it wouldn't surprise me at all if those same smug people would be the first in line to sue the manufacturer when fiberglass particles got into their cookies or whatever. I say "smug" rather than "stupid" or "dense" because it most cases, it's more a matter of "I know better than the manufacturers" or "Nothing bad will ever happen to me" than pure ignorance or stupidity. Kind of like how any dumb dumb should know not to put a cup of hot coffee between her legs when she's driving, but she does, anyway, and then sues the restaurant when she gets burned. Or like how anyone with a brain should know not to hold a stale baguette in her hand when trying to slice into it with a serrated knife, but she does it anyway because she thinks she's too smart or careful to slice her finger open.

Interesting. Panaeng curry is southern, so it's not traditionally eaten with sticky rice. That combination truly makes it your own.

Don't live in Shanghai, nor have I ever been there, but when I was looking up CS, I found this and this. I guess City Super is called "City Shop" in Shanghai? This is old, but you can also try to find these places.

At $25/bottle, do you really think it's worth it for most bottles of wine?

Any guest who complains about the hosts being "cheap not to serve meat" is an a-hole. I'm going to have to try it! I'm not a huge fan of eggplant, but anything crispy is good. And crispy with bechamel and melted cheese is even better. I'm not really known for anything because I don't really cook, but I have an aunt who, more than 10 years later, still talks about my lemon souffle cheesecake. I got the recipe from a Japanese cookbook for junior high school students and I didn't change a thing about it, except translating it into English. I haven't made it in eons. Oh, and my mango pudding. It's not really my recipe--we got it from my aunt who got it from who knows where. It changes every time I make it (more or less cream gets added, more or less milk, etc.), but it's always a good recipe.

I hadn't heard anything about this story until today, but apparently last June, two Japanese tourists got a bill for 700 Euros at this historic (according to the article) restaurant. Another article (from a blog) can be found at the link. The Italian Minister of Tourism invited the couple back to Rome at the expense of the Italian government (and therefore taxpayers), but the couple declined (Mr. Yamada said it would be poor use of government money), instead offering to meet with her when she visited to Japan. He did meet with the Deputy Mayor of Rome the other day at a restaurant in Tokyo (I suspect I know which one, but I have not been able to find official mention of it). Has anyone here ever dined there? I've heard it's common practice in Rome to overcharge tourists, but am wondering if it's usually to such an extent. Were they targetting Japanese tourists? (Not the first time that would have happened.) And after this incident, would you still be inclined to dine at the famous Il Passetto?

Small correction--prime rib and gravy. I think popovers were in there, too, but I can't remember now. I've never even had Marlene's prime rib, gravy, or popovers, but I want all three!

I don't know why that link didn't show up here. Here it is again: http://www.kpla.com/cookbook.shtml Thanks! I thought maybe you had tried to add a picture, but it didn't work out. Just to clarify--the recipe says "6 - 8 slices of back". I'm assuming that should be "bacon" not "back bacon"?

Not what you're asking, but I would limit the number of sample pieces you sell at a lower price. For example, they can have two pieces at the lower price, but anything beyond that should be at a price higher than the per-piece price in a 4-piece box. Or limit the sample price to new customers only, or customers with a special ticket or card.

Koiwai junsui grapefruit is back, but I've found that I prefer Gokuri (it was a toss-up for a while). Today I found Gokuri blood orange and lemon in Y100 vending machines today. No grapefruit, though. Before summer holidays I found a vending machine with Y100 Gokuri Grapefruit, and I bought 4 or 5 of them.

Did anyone notice Mike Isabella got married shortly after this season debuted? Maybe the stress of being away during most of the planning part of the wedding, as well as away from his fiancee, was part of the reason he came across as an a-hole

Thanks, Anna N! I don't know why I couldn't find it--I did an advanced search for author: helenjp and keyword: tray, but it didn't come up. I also searched for the keyword steel, so it should have come up! And thanks, too, Blether. I've been searching "バット" at amazon.co.jp because the Dinos one Helen originally linked to is really expensive! I think I may have to take a look at Doguyasuji in Osaka, and perhaps Kappabashi the next time I'm in Tokyo. I know the Y100 stores have them available sometimes, but they're awfully small and thin (not that it should matter so much for what I want to use it for).

Many moons ago (years, probably), helenjp posted a link to a set of stainless steel trays she uses to keep food in the fridge. They had lids, and I think racks to lift the food from the bottom of the containers. I've searched and searched using all the parameters I can think of, but I cannot find the link. Help me, please!

How did you feel about the kouign aman? What specifically left you disappointed? I'm always on the look-out for good kouign aman, and though I don't have a trip to Paris coming up, I'm always doing research just in case! I'm guessing their packaging is based on what Japanese places have been doing forever and a day--little bits of cardboard or rolled bits of stuff in the box to help prevent shifting?

II should have followed Andiesenji's instructions more carefully. I think my lard got cooked a little too much--it's awfully brown! But I don't care. It's going to be used for savoury applications, anyway, so it doesn't matter to me that it might taste a little more porky. I've got tons of large-ish crispy bits left, too. I used a wee bit to make some chicken fried rice. It's good. But I'm not sure what to do with the rest of them. I don't want to throw them away, but how much fried pork fat can a girl eat? OK, I could eat a lot, but I shouldn't. . .

What kind of cheese is "Menninite cheese"? Or should that be "Mennonite cheese"? (But even then, what kind of cheese is it? I've never seen Mennonite cheese, despite growing up in a province with a large population of Mennonites.) Simple is best, it seems. Have you ever seen zucchini put into the quesadilla? Zucchini blossoms might be interesting in there with the cheese. I wonder if that's ever done.

Jean Blanchard made the arborio rice pudding way back here.

Since this is the Mexico forum, could you give us an idea of other traditional fillings? I've always thought piling a flour tortilla with stuff to make it resemble a pizza was a North American spin on it, but that traditional quesadilla would be corn tortillas with simple fillings. I've always just done cheese, but that's just what I like. What other traditional quesadilla I can try?