Liza

I like to stuff a butter-herb-spice mixture under the skin and inside the cavity of the chicken, then roast atop an extra leg and the extra bits (neck, liver, etc) as this seems to add immeasurably to the pan juices. We tend to roast it upside down (breast down) so the juices stay in the breast and then finish the last 15 minutes or so on high heat, breast side up to get the skin crispy.

It was far too dangerous an undertaking to...undertake without proper supervision, and D. had a meeting. So. We reschedule for Sunday, as I can get my favorite ciabatta or dare I think it, (nay, write it!) challah bread from Tribeca Oven...

Suvir, I won't pretend to be nearly as mango-knowledgable as you are, but I've been pleased recently with the mangoes at the Chelsea Market's Manhattan Fruit and Vegetable store. They do a large wholesale business with restaurants and have been exploring a lot of tropical fruit lately (it's the only place I've seen Mamay's, for instance). Perhaps worth a look?

Oh. Yum yum YUMMY, Priscilla. But...dare I...what I combined both you and Sandra's ideas and ...made a sandwich of manchego and guava pasta, and then grilled it... (sound of head exploding)

It comes in a round, flat tin, and looks like it would be fine to serve with cheese, in place of membrillo as it has that wobbly quality. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Dare I say it, especially in pie.

Thank you. Just to be clear: were they roasted with their lovely cheese filling or roasted, then filled? Not to muddle this thread, but we like to scope out the medical supply stores for interesting cooking tools, as well, such as lovely tweezers for pin bone removal.

Yes, it is your duty as a good citizen of Egullet.

D. made a lovely lime-based drink on Sunday. Fresh lime juice, in a blender with slices of fresh mango, cantaloupe, ice and tequila. Quite citrus, sweet, creamy and cool. The tequila takes it out of India, but thought I'd mention it anyway. I also prefer a squeeze of lime over lemon on most fish dishes.

Suvir, Sadly, my London year was 1990, I was working in TV and music, and therefore claim memory disability. But I know I lived on Mornington Crescent in Camden, and there was a tiny Bhel Puri place on the corner of the high street. Many other Bhel Puri places were near the Euston Station. The Gobi dish seems most reminiscent, actually. It seemed to be roasted, seasoned (as you suggest) cauliflower, topped with lovely crunchy bits. Could it be possible that the lovely crunchy bits I remember are bits of dough, because they looked like tiny pieces of broken, toasted spagetti.

I'm intrigued by the roasted jalapeno, Jinmyo - did you roast then peel then stuff? How was the heat?

Suvir, My cauliflower dish is an adaption of a Mario Batali recipe so perhaps all great cuisines have decided on the right way with cauliflower. Bobby Flay recommends roasting it, then pureeing it for use as a garnish for a lobster soup, which sounds quite lovely and adaptable for any cuisine's flavourings. I used to love a cauliflower dish from my local Bel Pouri (apologies for most likely incorrect spelling) place in London. And you are the right person to ask...what makes that variety of cuisine authentic? I always found it, in simplistic terms, lighter and crunchier than other kinds of Indian food. I think cauliflower might be an overlooked vegetable here in the states for as it is a cruciferous vegetable, it can be difficult to 'simply' digest, if you know what I mean...

I adore cauliflower, Suvir. I especially like the tender spring cauliflower, and use all of it, the greens included. I do a sort of braise, after sauteing onions and red pepper flakes, I add the cauliflower and milk; cover, and let tremble for about 35 minutes til all is soft, and the greens are really green. I'll bet it would be excellent topped with a little cheese and set under the broiler for a moment... On the El Bulli thread, there's mention of shaving raw cauliflower with a microplane zester as a garnish, which sounds intriguing as well.

Good thing there's a smiley there, Tommy, or I'd worry.

I've never used OpenTable, but know that plenty of people are using websites to place their reservations. It can be a great way to drive traffic and revenue. And Cascina has a special "Reservations" page. It's not good business sense to over-promise. If you have a website and offer reservations there, you are obligated to keep it up.

But...but....they HAVE the website, it is their obligation to keep it up! They are, after all, in the service industry, in one very competitive town. And let's not forget how this conversation started - online - and how did I find their website - online...

Well, I filled out the online reservation form on Cascina's website yesterday and have yet to hear from them. Not a promising beginning to this relationship...

Etats-Unis 242 E. 81st St. b/w 2nd and 3rd 212-517-8826

Glad to hear that, Joans - I'll be sure to come round and do another tasting from Astor!

We were just talking about Zuni yesterday, wishing we were there in late afternoon when the light hits the bar just right...If I could import one restaurant to my neighborhood (and time zone!), it would be this one.

Jaybee, Congrats on your upcoming birthday and your decision to make some life changes. Good timing, as well - my suggestion is that it is always easier to lose weight in the spring and summer, when fresh fruit and veggies are plentiful. Recently, I (sob!) gave up my morning bagel and cream cheese, replaced it with oatmeal or cereal. That one change and I've seen results. (Well, with NY bagels the size they are...) Best of luck, and you'll always get supported here!

Ok, I have no idea if it was the chicken or the foie gras terrine/butter etc. rubbed on it, but ohmygoodness, was it marvelous.

For artisanal yogurt in the states, we rely on Ronnybrook. Active cultures and thickness completely dependent on what the cows ate that day. And there is a Ronny. Don't know about the Brook. I just made pastry dough using Ronnybrook keffir instead of shortening.

Hey, I donate books all the time to Housing Works here in NYC. But if a book had been personally inscribed to me, I would at least tear out that page ! And as naive as I may be, I'm not famous. And that certainly colours the situation in my book. (sorry!)

I'll quote from the packaging: "During a trip to Europe, I made what I consider a culinary discovery: European chicken tasted more like farm-fresh birds I remembered from my childhood. The European chickens tasted different because, as I found out, they're processed by a cold air method instead of the water immersion/absorption method commonly used by processors here in the States. So I brought the technology home to the Midwest and created Smart Chicken, a premium poultry that introduced consumers to the superior quality and fresh taste of Air-Chilled chicken. MBA Brand Smart Chicken is the only chicken in the US currently using this flavorful method. The Smart Chicken you are about to enjoy has the natural flavor that Europeans have been enjoying for years..." - Mark A. Haskins, President and CEO, Smart Chicken. I found out about this bird from the David Rosengarten Report, and dutifully sent my check to Tecumseh, Nebraska. More, naturally, after the bird is cooked!