agnolottigirl

I agree that there's a tendency on the boards (sometimes) to talk about food as a moral issue. And yeah, we have more of it on eG because we're a self-selecting group of people who are more inclined to care about this kind of thing. We are also probably young or middle aged, probably middle class or better off than that, and most likely pretty well educated with at least some leisure time to spend surfing the site, as well as the time and money to spend on more involved cooking and/or eating out. I think we're a pretty privileged bunch, by and large, and I agree with FistFullaRoux that, as such, we're not representative of the majority. On the one hand, I believe that there are genuine, food-related moral questions. Hunger is the biggie, in my mind. Then there are environmental and animal-rights/humane concerns, like eating fish that have have astronomical bycatch rates, or sustainable agriculture. But most of the stuff we talk about on the site--and what I think it's really for--is to talk about what tastes good. . . which is, after all, a matter of taste, no? Value enters into the equation as well. My father-in-law would always choose an all-you-can-eat buffet over any other dining option, because he values volume over other things (like taste, freshness, presentation, etc.). So we have different ideas about what's good, and what's worth eating. I do think there's another kind of snottiness, though, that I have seen here occasionally (though not often) that has to do with knowing more, or having been more places, or having eaten a wider variety of things. There was a thread a while back about French pronunciations of food words, and while there were defenders of the non-Francophones, there were also some pretty demeaning comments. . . implications to the effect that if you didn't know how to pronounce the word, you couldn't possibly enjoy the food (because you're a troglodyte, most likely). Aside from being obviously false, this kind of post detracts (for me, anyway) from the fun and open sharing that brings me here in the first place.

Finally made it to Zeitgeist for Top Pot donuts. . . THANKS, Seattle eG people! I'm not even a huge donut fan, but if I lived in town (ie, closer to donut heaven), that could change. Then I would become a HUGE donut fan. Definitely the best donuts I've ever had. Ever. (Insert Homer S. drooling noise here.) Anyway, I stopped there on my way to SeaTac for an early-morning flight. The guy next to me on the plane offered me $5.00 for a raspberry jelly filled. Too bad for him!

My husband and I ate at Union last night and were very happy we did. It was Sunday night, and--on a January Sunday when everyplace else (well, except Le Pichet, our original destination) seemed dead--the joint was jumping. Service suffered a bit, as they were obviously very understaffed for the volume they had, but our waiter did a very nice job considering that the place was overrun. (Mr. Agnolotti is a cook in Seattle, so we tend to be more forgiving of stuff the restaurant can't control but less forgiving of stuff they can.) We had the pear and vanilla amuse mentioned elsewhere in this string--nice. It also had tiny diced chives on it, as did everything but dessert and (maybe) the duck. Through the course of the evening, we had two different breads: a white bread (not super-crunchy artisan stuff, my usual preference, but very good, and warm to boot) and an herbed (? olive) bread. We weren't starving--it was on the early side--so we did not try the tasting menu, though the two mains on that menu (a seared ahi with white beans and olives) and some steak thing sounded great. (Our waiter said that the kitchen can sometimes offer the tasting selections a la carte, but they were just too slammed last night to deal, which was understandable.) The mixed green salad, which is usually a ho-hum deal and basically the same everywhere, was very nice. Not so astringent as elsewhere--a gentle vinaigrette--and instead of crumbled goat cheese, soft rounds under the greens. And pecans made the whole thing rounder and sweeter. Yummy. The gnocchi with guinea hen confit were probably our favorite thing. The confit was meltingly tender, and the gnocchi were very good. (Gnocchi are one of my tests--when they are good, they are very very good, but when they are bad, they are horrid. Usually they are horrid, but I can't stop looking for the transcendent gnocchi experience without having to make them at home. . . but that's a separate thread.) Anyway, we wished we had more of this, and we fought over who got to mop up the last bit of broth. Entrees were duck breast with braised red cabbage and herbed spaetzle, which was delicious, the piquant cabbage setting off the richness of the duck. The duck was perfectly cooked, moist and meaty. This was delicious. We weren't wild about our other entree, which was sturgeon with lamb shank and mashed potatoes (with. . . celeriac? something sweetish but vegetable). I think maybe we just don't like sturgeon (neither of us had tried it before; there was also amberjack on the menu, which I don't think I've ever seen on a menu anywhere else), but it seemed very bland and kind of chewy. What was under it was tasty, though: the "lamb shank" was actually sort of a gravy or stew, with small pieces of meltingly tender lamb in a very winey base over the potatoes. Desserts were the apple bread pudding with spiced port reduction and creme anglaise ice cream, which I liked very much--tiny diced apple in the bread pudding were tart and crunchy in a custardy (but not super-eggy) base. Mr. Agnolotti had the mango creme brulee, which he said wasn't great but did not share. . . make of that what you will! Overall, portions seemed on the small side, visually, but were exactly right once we started eating. All in all, a very good meal. We'll be back. Wine list looks to be extensive, but there are obviously folks here who are more qualified to comment on that. Re the interior, I don't find it very comfortable, but I think that may be a function of the weather (cold, blustery) and the food we ordered (upscale comfort food), which made me want something a little cozier. Noise level wasn't half-bad, considering that the restaurant was full. Oh yeah, and the people-watching from the bar is. . . interesting.

I had the unfortunate experience of eating at the Todai in Scottsdale. (Strange but true factoid for you eGers: they LOVE sushi in the desert! Go figure.) I was on a business trip with a colleague who insisted we go there. The food ranged from passable to inedible. Problems with freshness and temperature were evident; and everything I ate was way, way, way too salty. (Hey, think there's a connection between the salt and the 'drink not included' policy?) I did not feel it was a particularly great value--not worth it to me to pay for unlimited eating of not-very-good food. But it's like beer preferences: would you rather have a couple Fish Tale Ales or a nice stout, or would you prefer a suitcase of Milwaukee's Best? If the latter, Todai is your kind of place.

Bainbridge Island is in SERIOUS need of donuts. . . . . . . we have about all the gluten-free soy-infused baked goods we can handle out here. HELP!

If really HOT ginger flavor is what you're after, you have to try Blenheim's. It's made by a tiny company in North Carolina (I think) and I've never seen it in a grocery store. Sometimes you find it in specialty shops, upscale sandwich joints, etc. Comes in HOT HOT and "not-so-hot" -- but if you're gonna do it, I say go for the gusto!! Links here: http://www.sodapopstop.com/products/detail.cfm?link=116 http://www.turnersouth.com/food-recipes/fo...0,,1759,00.html

It's ALL good. . . I have never made it there early enough to get my little paws on gnocchi, which is a bummer. I always go there thinking I'm just going to buy lunch, but once I get there I realize it would just be WRONG to go home without any prosciutto, pancetta, and/or fennel sausage. Best thing I've had so far, though, was a monster-size sandwich of prosciutto, goat cheese, and figs. It was a summer thing, and the English guy made it for me. . . I must have winked at him or something, b/c I think I had about a pound of meat on that sammich. Drawback, as ever--and as many have noted--sad, sad bread. (You know, it might not actually be that bad; it's just unworthy of its companions and suffers by comparison.)

Too late for this trip, I guess, but Al Dente in the North End is also very good--family place, not real formal--but I like Al Dente's better Monica's, which was more upscale but the food wasn't as good, imo. My four can't miss North End places are Purity Cheese, Modern Pastry (best cannoli in the universe), Cafe Vittoria for capuccino, and a butcher shop . . . its name escapes me at the moment, but you can find it by looking for a little storefront with a line of Italian grandmas and Boston yuppies that stretches out onto the sidewalk.

We are out of season for this one now, at least where I live, but Daniel Bolud's "cafe" cookbook has a really nice asparagus/lemon/lime risotto that is fantastic when the new asparagus crop is in. I've also made it with sauteed shrimpies thrown in--mmmmmm.

Getting better all the time!! Actually, I don't know yet. . . the relish-type stuff needs to sit for a while. Boy, will I be bummed if it turns out that all this stuff is terrible! The only things I've preserved before have been idiot-simple fruit jams, etc. Besides green tomatoes, the other thing we usually have bumper crops of is berries of all types.

You guys rock! Thanks for all these great ideas! Nick, I am hoping some more of these things ripen, but I am talking about a LOT of tomatoes--like 4 or 5 laundry baskets full! If I lived somewhere sunnier, I'd leave them out to dry; but I'm outside Seattle, and I suspect I'd end up with a mold farm rather than sun-dried anything. Blech. Thanks again.

Thanks, Jane-- I'll try and track the Batali recipe down! Let me know if you want recipes for the other stuff. Sue

I have about a ton and a half of green tomatoes, and I've had about as many fried ones as I can stand for one year, so I am trying my hand at canning. I have already made chow-chow (green tomato relish) and a green tomato-apple-lemon chutney. Anybody have any other recommendations? I've heard of a green tomato marmalade, which sounds interesting, but the only recipe I've found for this is for immediate baking use--not for canning. And since I don't really know what I'm doing, I don't trust that I would can it safely.

Here's a most excellent thing to do w/acorn squash--totally brainless and is pretty much a meal in itself: Cut (either in half lengthwise, or just cut off the top and a thin slice off the bottom (so it can sit upright in a baking dish) 'em, scoop out the guts, put a little oil or butter on there, and bake until fairly tender. Pull 'em out, then stuff them with the following mixture: Cottage cheese Gruyere, Emmenthal, or other good melting cheese Chopped onion Chopped apple (tart is best--granny smith or something) Raisins Cinnamon Stick them back in the oven until everything is warm and sweet. Mmmmmmm.

Here's a most excellent thing to do w/butternut or acorn squash--totally brainless and is pretty much a meal in itself: Cut (either in half lengthwise, or just cut off the top and a thin slice off the bottom (so it can sit upright in a baking dish) 'em, scoop out the guts, put a little oil or butter on there, and bake until fairly tender. Pull 'em out, then stuff them with the following mixture: Cottage cheese Gruyere, Emmenthal, or other good melting cheese Chopped onion Chopped apple (tart is best--granny smith or something) Raisins Cinnamon Stick them back in the oven until everything is warm and sweet. Mmmmmmm.

Variation on Jim's version: core & parboil whole sprouts, saute with a BUNCH of garlic and breadcrumbs in oil, then a healthy squeeze of lemon when done. Delish--and this is from somebody who wouldn't eat these things until a year ago! Sue

Been to Ruby's on Bainbridge since it moved? It's across the street from where it used to be--now in the space that was the "old" Pleasant Beach Grill, then (briefly) Moonfish. Very good, lots of comfort food (lamb shanks, wild mushroom fettucine)--the kind of stuff you want to eat when the weather starts to get the way it is today. Nola did used to be fantastic. The real draw was the out-of-this-world baked goods on weekends (croissants to make you cry, they were so good)--but it changed hands a couple years ago. It's ok, but not anything to write home about, imho. Agree with Charcoop--the service was lousy the last time we went, and the food was just ok. Haven't been back. (We end up next door at Chili Cosmo's instead--quesadillas!) We don't go to Pleasant Beach any more--just too inconsistent. The management of Winslow Way Cafe has changed yet again. Haven't been there since the latest switch. Sawatdy, on Miller Bay Road, is really good Thai food. Restaurant is located, as so many good Thai restaurants are, in a strip mall next to a gas station. They're closed Monday nights. I've only been to Four Swallows once--but it was very good. My husband has bought into the local quip that "four swallows is all the food you get," so I need a different dinner companion if I want to go there. Has anybody been to Breezy Hill Bistro in Silverdale? I'm not sure it's even still open, but if I remember right, it was supposedly run by a husband-and-wife team who were CIA grads.

Fight the power--eat real food! Eric Asimov's review in the NYT of Chipotle (the new McDonald's-owned burrito chain) was of the foot-shuffling, I-know-it's-a-chain-but-I-like-it variety. I travel a lot for work, and it's pretty disturbing to be able to completely lose track of where I am not just b/c of jet lag but b/c it's ALL THE SAME. Gap, Starbucks, Applebee's, Outback, Banana Republic, Chili's, Ruby Tuesday's. We are turning into a gigantic mall!

First, I have to second the comments on Hugo's. I am in Portland a lot on business, and this is the highlight of those trips. The restaurant is lovely--quiet, comfortably elegant. They haven't tried to cram in too many tables (though the space is not very large). The staff is attentive and knowledgeable. The prix fixe is an adventure. The first time I ate there, my husband and I went with another couple and worked it out so that we ate almost everything on the menu. It was like Christmas--each plate was another little present. Delightful! The bar menu is an unbelievably great deal. You can spend just as much in one of the tourist traps or mall-area chain restaurants, for food that's boring, overprocessed, salty-greasy garbage. And the food is fantastic. Wine list is very good, with some nice wines available by the glass. Chris, the bartender, is great. I ate there earlier this week: had the pork belly (believe me, you need to try it. . . my vegetarian friend breaks her rules for this dish alone!), which was made this time with a green-tomato relish and sherry vinaigrette; and "Blueberries Two Ways": blueberry/star anise/port sorbet and buttermilk/blueberry panna cotta; and a glass of nice pinot noir for $25 (before tip). You also can't miss with the crispy-skin sea bass, the char, or the mussels. And yeah, Keller's influence is there. (The chef, Rob Evans, is actually off doing a stage at the moment with Grant Achatz, another French Laundry alum, at Trio). The similarity to the French Laundry is not only in the excellence of the food and service, the use of local in-season foods, but also in the chef's wit. This probably sounds weird, but I would say it's "quietly fun" to eat there. Enjoy! Another very good place, not so high on the tourist list (because it's out of the way), is the Saltwater Grille, in South Portland. http://www.saltwatergrille.com/ For your lobster roll, especially if the weather is nice, head out to the Lobster Shack on Cape Elizabeth: http://lobstershack-twolights.com/

Oh, yeah--and if you need dessert, pick up the little chocolate things at the bakery at Bouchon in Yountville. . . . mmmhmmmmmmmm. . . .

Go to Keller's Market, on the main drag in St. Helena. Buy a loaf of bread, some fruit, and then ask the cheesemonger for his recommendations re cheese and wine. John Raymond (the cheese god) has 200+ cheeses and knows pretty much everything about them--and is willing to share both knowledge and lots of tastes. He has stuff there that will make you cry (well, if you like cheese). And you can't beat the price!

Anybody ever been to Cassis? We went once a few years ago and it was very good--but we haven't been back since moving a ferry commute away.