Cusina
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Posts posted by Cusina
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Thanks all...
I wonder if there are more that I should add to my Pub list? I suppose that is a very subjective thing, but I'd love to hear some of your favorites.
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In addition I'd suggest a mortar and pestle and I LOVE my cherry pitter. Fruity fun.
How about barware? A martini or a margarita set? Wine related things like a nice wine rack, good corkscrew, vacuum sealer etc...
You could even register for spices. One of the most successful wedding presents I've ever bought was a grouping of Indian spices. They loved it. He was practically giddy.
Also, I'd ask for lots of serving utensils. Vegetable spoons, jelly servers, asparagus tongs, gravy and soup ladles, spreaders, etc... Think about the grandest table you ever hope to set and make a list of the things on it. Don't forget the linens.
Congratulations! Hope you get to use this stuff for many happy years!
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This is one of Squeat's dilemmas: he loves to cook, but lives alone, and at the same time hates to waste food!
Woah.
I have to admit, in my eGullet newbieness, that I've been happily walking through the marketplace with Squeat assuming he was female! I have no idea why I thought that. This is a strange communication medium. Not that it makes any difference at all, your writing is great. I'm glad to be along for the ride.
So, back on topic...
Squeat, do you usually go to the market with a list? Or just wander around and buy what appeals and hope it all goes to a good end? And how often do you make the trip? I have great daydreams of being able to shop daily at a place like that. Just the cheese alone is incredible.
And the idea of Lonely Trout Caviar is just funny. I wonder if that is really what it was?
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I love asparagus. Seems to me we eat it with a knife and fork mostly, but then, in a moment of wild abandon, will pick it up just because we feel like we can, even if there are multiple tablecloths and dessert spoons in presence. Adds a little excitement! Whoopie!
fi - you cracked me up!
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Little blue house: you are very welcome! I'd be very happy to hear a good report of your trip when you return. Good luck with your New Year's search.
Lemon Higgins: I culled this list from a lot of different sources and somewhat haphazardly. I probably just put those two in that category based on the prices in a review and not knowing better. Thanks for correcting me. (I think Ivy is off my list anyhow. Doesn't really appeal after what I've been told of it. And the Atlantic has been demoted to a possible lunch spot if we are in the area rather than an "A list" destination.)
Balex: thanks for the tip about Rules. I was wondering about it. It sounded, from the article I read, like it might be "tourist bait" rather than actual food.
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I'll add to the tally (is anyone keeping score of this?) that there is one on top of the Hyatt in Milwaukee. Stunning views of, well, Milwaukee. Kind of pales in comparison to Mt. Ranier but, hey.
I remember being fascinated as a kid when we ate there, but it must not have been very good. We never returned (get it?? re- turned... oh nevermind).
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This is excellent! Thank you all for your suggestions. Please feel free to keep commenting.
Here is what my revised list looks like.
Fine Dining:
+Tom Aikens
Bleeding Heart
+The Square
Andrew Edmonds, Soho
Atlantic Bar and Grill (lunch) - 20 glasshouse st., soho
Rules
+Woseley Cafe, piccadilly, new
Nahm, thai, ?? research more...
Locanda Locatelli, high end italian
+Chez Bruce
La Trompette
Bibedum
+1880, Bentley hotel
Mid-range
Providores-tapa - 109 marlebone high street
St. John Bread and Wine - English cuisine, lunch, aldgate tube stop across from spitalfields market
Chutney Mary (Sunday Brunch, Indian) 535 King's Road
Lemonia - greek
Racine - knightsbridge
Casual Food, Pubs, Etc...
Black Friar
The Albert
North Sea, (fish and chips)
Geales, notting hill
The Eagle
Patissierie Valerie, soho ??
Borough Market
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I recommend a simmer plate. My stove generally runs a little too high even on the smallest btu unit at the lowest setting to do a long simmer. The plate helps a lot.
Our family marinara sounds pretty similar (advantages of marrying an Italian, good family sauce recipe) but with the addition of chopped sausage and green peppers.
Has anyone ever tried oven roasting the whole canned tomatoes before making them into sauce? I thought it might give a richer flavor, but have not tried it yet.
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Squeat - GREAT foodblog. Really enjoyable!
I am so jealous of your available produce selection. In the summer/fall I have a decent Saturday market down the street from us but nothing like what you describe. Thanks for feeling like a dork with the tape recorder and going into such detail, almost feel like I've been there.
Acme sounds divine, though I always think of Wyle E. Cyote and some weird bird-catcher gadget that ends up shoving him off a cliff when I hear that name.
And toaster ovens are great even if you have a larger kitchen. We use ours constantly for small things. Sometimes you don't want to heat the whole oven up just to toast a few pine nuts or reheat a slice of pizza.
Keep going, I'll keep reading...
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Hmmm.... I think it is a very good thing to ponder. You don't have to go whole hog, so to speak, and be completely self-sufficient. One could just avoid the middle aisles of the grocery with the prepared stuff. Stick to the fresh things on the perimiter plus a few staples like flour and oil and not have it cost an arm and a leg, might even save you some money if you were careful.
For example, when I switched from buying salad dressing (4-5 bottles in my fridge at at least $3 per) to making my own it was great! We now have two house varieties, a parmesan ceasar style and a balsamic vinagrette, that taste 100 times better and are 100 times cheaper than the old bottles that cluttered up the fridge and never seemed to satisfy. And then there was the long ago revalation that any "cream of" soup could be replaced with a nice thick bechamel at a fraction of the cost and much improved taste.
I'll bet there are other things like that I if I thought about it. Three store bought, mediocre salsas, chutneys or jams that I could replace with one really good homemade version.
Some things though, would be tough. Soy sauce, for instance. Can't imagine it would be worth my while to make my own soy, or hot pepper sauce either, and I can't imagine living without them.
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the Maltese make pastizzi, which are basically the cheese equivalent of heroin. amazingly buttery filo type (but not quite filo) pastry, twisted round a chunk of soft salty ricotta - nothing more added. the pastry splits sometimes at the top to let the cheese ooze out. sigh.
Fi
I'm all weak in the knees over this one.
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Stuffed shells are always delicious.
I sometimes use canolli style cream (ricotta and powedered sugar, pistachios, chocolate etc...) as a topping. Might be very good in a danish or I love it just spread on crusty bread.
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It all sounds good Blue. So much more organized than mine! I'm no help in the suggestions department, but I'm very glad that you will be going ahead of me so that you can give me the full report when you get back.
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Thank you both... adjusting my list.
One more question. When should I make fine dining reservations? 6 weeks ahead is the usual in my part of the world... is that standard there as well?
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Andy very kindly invited me to post an itinerary for our upcoming trip to London. We won't be there until April, so I don't really have a solid list yet, but here are my potentials. They come from a range of sources. We will only be in town for a week, so obviously this needs to be culled through or we won't be able to do anything but eat!
So, have at it, slash away, leave only the best! Anything else you would add? Please pardon the crude spelling, it's directly cut from my organizer.
Fine Dining:
Ivy
The Square
Pied a Terre
Andrew Edmonds, Soho
Atlantic Bar and Grill (lunch) - 20 glasshouse st., soho
Le Tante Claire
Rules
Mid-range
Latium (italian) 21 Berners st.
Assagi (italian)
Locanda Locatelli (italian)
Artiango (italian)
Providores-tapa - 109 marlebone high street
St. John - English cuisine, lunch, aldgate tube stop across from spitalfields market
Chutney Mary (Sunday Brunch, Indian) 535 King's Road
Lemonia - greek
La Poulle au pot, sloane sq tube
Casual Food, Pubs
Black Friar
The Albert
North Sea, (fish and chips)
Seafresh Wilton Road (fish)
The Eagle
Patissierie Valerie, soho
This is a 10th anniversary trip for my Husband and I, so at least one "romantic" evening would be in order.
Thanks in advance for you help!
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um, wasabi issues aside.
Andy and Moby I loved your double review. Absolutely Great, thank you! I especially liked the "haunted mobster hangout" decor description. I'll be sure to put this place on my "must do" list. I am really anticipating a visit to London in April and already have a list a mile long of places to try, most of them thanks to your well done posts.
And Moby, such bravery! You crack me up
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One more reason to move to New York.....
Exactly... between this and the array of Cup Cake places. I'm jealous.
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My grandmother's trademark recipe was off a bisquick box. It's a ring mold cinnamon coffee cake with a caramel topping and cherries, just love it. I have great memories of making it with her as a kid.
And oatmeal scotchies... mmmm.
I don't cook from cans and boxes very often though as I have been burned. Never ever try anything "mexican" off the back of the canned tomatoes. bleh.
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I'm with Rosie, completely deprived childhood filled with rasin bran and oatmeal.
I saw fruity pebbles for the first time about a month ago. My first thought was "hey they aren't even pebbles, what the heck?!" They are more like little flakettes.
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That would be the chapter with the handy how-to chart on marking up wine prices?
Maybe it's more like a pull out dartboard face.
Kidding. Kidding.
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Alright, I'm NOT an expert, but I like whiskey. My favorite, without breaking the bank or going to a specialty store, is Crown Royal. Smooth enough to drink straight, makes a good manhattan, and it comes nicely packaged for a gift.
If I'm going to drink scotch I like Glenlivet.
I'll be interested to hear what others have to say on this subject.
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Thanks for the excellent review. I liked your attention to detail and the pictures helped tremendously.
I'm adding the 5th floor to my (ever growing) list of places to visit in the Bay area.
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Well, I appreciate now that you were attempting to write a review rather than merely share your experience. I'm not sure you hit the mark though in encouraging "a younger audience who fear fine dining is not for them". Frankly, if I were a more inexperienced diner I'd be mighty scared off by your review and run back to gold coast hot dogs for something familiar. It was very entertaining, though it might be better material for Alex in her standup carrer than for yours as a food writer. At 24 I hardly had 2 nickels to rub together. I was scraping together enough $$ for renovations to our first house and we were eating a whole lot of beans and rice. Dinner out was a souvlaki sandwich at the local greek diner for $6.50 including fries and soda. I know this may sound incredibly negative, but I'm not sure that the audience you are looking to reach actually exists (you are unique!). Perhaps refining your mission in this piece and recrafting it to include a broader audience would make it a more effective review. Aim it to the "fine cuisine newbie" rather than the "younger" diner.
I really am trying to be helpful here, not condescending. Hope that comes through in this post.
P.S. I was almost shot at once in a harold's chicken shack... really scared the heck out of me. I now make it a rule not to eat in places where the staff is behind bullet proof glass. And I don't believe celebrity chef Harold was actually in the kitchen either.
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One more note, next time you decide to have dinner in Chicago, try searching for places on metromix. It's a site run by the Tribune. I have found some of their reviews to be very helpful in picking a place that suits us.
London Tourista
in United Kingdom & Ireland: Dining
Posted
and to answer my own question... best london pubs thread
Sorry 'bout that.
Feel free to add more though.