davebr

It does seem that whatever Im drinking and whatever Im gonna drink after that makes it into what Im cooking. Now granted, I grew up in New Orleans so I lost my ability to handle(through too much handling) most crazy liquors. So its only wine for me.

the great Barbara Tropp always used corn oil. First into the wok, then using different blends of aromatics(serrano chile, cilantro, garlic, ginger, orange peel, ect.) to flavor the oil before adding veges or chicken or whatever.

Bobby Flay was cooking in one on TV last weekend. Some Cubans that live in Miami made it, the guy also sells them. I forget the name--it was spanish for "the Chinese Box", because his dad had seen chinese people using it to cook pork in Cuba, when they were imported in to do the rail roads.

One of the most used books in my house--Culinary Artistry by Dorenburg and Page. I buy this book for every one of my cooks. Cornbread Nation by the Southern Foodways Alliance

A friend of mine told me he saw someone make a cajun Microwave for turkeys out of an tomato vine growing cone?? and an upsidedown 55 gal drum with the coals on top.

I had that red stuff on some quail with grits at a DC restaurant and it was remarkably good. Ive seen the red stuff in powder form at an asian grocery, but it didnt have the sweet twang like at the restaurant. I did add some rice vinegar and ketchup to make up for it. But it was RED, I'll give it that.

I want a first hand lesson--SERIOUSLY! Next time you let me know, I will be there!! I'll contibute money, food, wine, whatever. Just give me a 12 hour heads up.

You would use arrowroot in the same quantities and methods as corn starch. It is said that arrowroot has a smoother consistancy than kern starch but I never really could tell the difference. I do believe harold mcgee's On Food and Cooking has something devoted to this subject. But Im reaching 10 years back in the brain--a little scarey there.

Im going 2 weeks to today, I will shun Asolare for all of you!

I sent a friend visiting Nashville there 2 weeks ago. He stayed at the Hermitage and ate at the grill. He said the food was incredible and it was probably the best pork he ever had. Which says alot considering the pork we had at Terra in Napa, and the one at Joel in Atlanta.

Medium is perfect, less than that is unacceptable. More from a flavor standpoint than a illness factor. Than again, has anyone had rare neiman ranch pork? I would try it carpaccio style.

A very good friend of mine is a waiter there. For the forst time ever I talked to him on a week night. He had been sent home early for not enough business. That had never happened to him in the last 5 years.

Yea, My mom let whose ever birthday it was pick what was for dinner. She let me start when I was 5. The rest of my family is sort of a "all you can eat/luthers/picadilly/po-folks" kind of crowd. But my mom was raised uptown and she loves good food and hates to cook. All of my exposure to cusine and a few of the classic New Olreans restaurants I owe to my mom. Nobody else was really interested, so we would leave the westbank and go on searchs for the best roastbeef poyboy, track down the taffy horse carriage, look for the "meatiest" creole tomatoes. The next generation of my family is the same as my brothers and sisters. I bring my 7 nieces all out to lunch in December to places like Galatoires, Christians, even Pho Tau Bay. But only 2 of them are really into what is going on. The rest of them start asking for fried shrimp.

2 things were constant in all of my childhood birthdays. One--we were going to Kolbs for dinner. How cool was that place. Two-- doberge cake! It must have been 20 layers!! I swear. Each layer equal in size. On the way to school, when we werent stopping at cafe du monde, we would stop at gambinos to pick up a box of doberge petit fours. Crazy catholic school boys.

Damn it, I just wrote the best memory and description of my favorite cake that I have seen no where other than New Orleans. My finger grazes the ESC key and GONE. Its all Gone. Bullshit Give me your memories on the greatest cake ever and any history you might know of the cake. Thanks When I compose myself I will rewrite it.

Cherie is right!!! Zuni is open until 10 or 11 on sunday. MUST HAVE ROAST CHICKEN WITH BREAD SALAD!!!!!!

Mine first experience was quite by accident. I was at a friends house for the weekend. They have 2 kitchens--one for the men and one for the women. I usually do all the cooking and we play cards, go skinny dipping, ect.... The hostess had gone out into the garden and picked some green tomatoes. Being in Natchitoches, I figured what the hell, fried green tomatoes--just like the movie they filmed here that I never saw( I'm too butch for something like that). We used breadcrumbs and I made a sauce with horseradish, mayo, L&P, tabasco and garlic. WONDERFULL. A year later I made it a salad on my restaurant's menu with blue cheese, spinach spiced pecans and the horseradish dressing. It has been our biggest seller for the past 5 years--making it into Southern Living twice. I have heard Ben Baker has a great green tomato soup at The Magnolia Grill in North Carolina. Has anyone tried it?

I saw a contest for america's best burger. sponsored by tabasco/sutter home/ and the beef board council whatever. I would post the link, but Im not savy enough for that. Look around the tabasco website and you'll find all the info.

My bad

My favorite place in Tallahassee is Cypress. There is almost no such thing as a sourthern restaurant that you wouldnt bring a 2 year old into. Maybe a few private clubs, but who wants to eat there?

Isnt the Inn at Blackberry Farm right outside Chattanooga?? There is no way I could permit myself to be in Chattanooga and not go there.

I cant say for sure who was first with the foie/tuna dish on the menu. But, OConnell's book with his version was published in 1996. Trotters book with his version was published in 1994.

Were you around for his upstairs sandwich place? It was great, but short lived in the early eighties. Mayhaw Man---I missed out on the sandwich shop, I was a little busy in grade school.

Let me guess, you got drunk at K-pauls then went next door and asked Blaise to see the back room. Then you dropped a couple of grand on 2 bottles of wine. Sounds all too familier.

How hard was it getting the public to accept the non-stereotypical Italian-American cooking at your restaurants? What would you say is your greatest attribute? Did you ever think cooking would take you this far up the ladder?