robyn

Since you'll be in Miami for a week - you can try lots of things. But perhaps the only unusual Christmas thing you'll find there is the traditional Cuban roast pig on "la noche buena" (Christmas Eve). You can find it at various restaurants in and around Little Havana (don't think you'll want to journey to Hialeah - too much traffic). It will most likely not be a big deal meal in terms of atmosphere or prices. But it is a traditional tasty meal. Don't know exactly what your timetable is - but - if you like parades - marching bands and the like - the Orange Bowl Parade is a big deal parade. What part of town are you staying in (the greater Miami metro area is a big place - and traffic is pretty bad a lot of the time)? Robyn

I suspect that this will be the prevailing attitude as the issue, increasingly, comes up for votes around the country and the world. Foie gras is for a few rich people--so who cares? It IS--on its face--a tough thing to defend. Try to picture any self-interested public figure essentially saying, " Cruelty to animals? Force feeding cute little ducks (or geese)--for an elitist gourmet treat? I'm FOR IT!" Not likely to happen. The production of foie gras is already illegal in Australia and New Zealand (countries which pride themselves on their food scene). I don't know what the UK situation is--but suspect that the current is headed in a direction similar to Sonoma. No big deal? That a vital culinary tradition--central to French cuisine--dating back to Roman times is imperilled? As goes California--often goes the rest. (As I have found everytime I each for my smokes at a saloon in NYC. ) On a more close to home note, you might cast your eyes up to the D'Artagnan ad at top of page--a business BUILT on foie gras production and related products. If, for instance, D'Artagnan can't sell foie gras and foie gras products, the potential ripple effects on the viability of the rest of their line could be extremely destructive to both the company--and to the many, many restaurants who depend on them. At the very least, chefs from Gascony will be less inclined, I would think, to relocate to a place where they have to cook with one arm tied behind their backs. Our pates and terrines at Les Halles will become a lot less interesting. Products that emanate from foie gras production--ie" magret, legs for confit, duck bones, duck blood, duck giblets, duck rilette could be harder--and more exepensive to find. (As these--in the Hudson Valley anyway) are by-products of animals bred specifically for foie gras. It IS a big deal. Coming from Florida - a state which has a constitutional amendment protecting pigs - and a constitutional amendment banning those smokes in bars - and who knows what else after the next round of 50 proposed constitutional amendments on next year's ballot - I agree 100% with your thoughts - and share your pain. I was only in Gascony once - but the people there cram some of the finest eating in the world into a very small geographical area. And the highlight is of course foie gras - from geese - not ducks. I was very fortunate to have my first experience with foie gras at the Hotel de France when Andre Daguin was the chef. He was a friend of a friend - and he spent the evening introducing me and my husband to the culinary delights of Gascony. For those of you who don't know - his daughter - Ariane Daguin - is one of the principals in D'Artagnan. I have dealt with D'Artagnan for quite a few years as an individual non-commercial consumer. The outfit doesn't only make good products. It seems to be very honest. When listeria was found in one of its factories a few years ago (the listeria caused a few deaths) - it recalled everything that came out of that factory - and told everyone about the recall. People like me who had only bought a few items for the holidays were notified - and we got refunds. The listeria incident almost drove the company into bankruptcy - but I think the company's honesty in dealing with its customers brought a lot of them (including me) back into the fold. Anyway - I digress. I find an unfortunate degree of political correctness in high end restaurants these days. You can't eat these kinds of fish (whether it's redfish or swordfish) - or those kinds of meats (e.g., veal). Or chickens that haven't been allowed the same grazing area as a cow. And those who've never had the money to eat in high end restaurants (as evidenced by the message you got) - couldn't care less. So what will we be left with if current trends continue? On the high end -we'll be asked to spend a couple of hundred dollars eating artfully prepared raw or almost raw vegetables (which is apparently what some people in California are eating now). And - on the low end - people will just keep stuffing themselves with burgers and fries and pizzas - and more and more people will wind up being double-wides and triple-wides (that's what my husband and I call them - the increasing hordes of the obese in the US). Thanks but no thanks. I think I will sit home and eat my illegal cheese and foie gras from France - and enjoy my cigarette at the end of my meal. Robyn

Why no sushi? If you don't like it - or don't want raw seafood for some reason - ok. You won't get an argument. But if you think it's not "fine dining" - or have some similar thoughts - give it another look. We were in Los Angeles for a week last year - and explored a fair amount (given that we only had a week). Hands down - our best "fine dining" experiences were at high end sushi restaurants. By the way - we had fun at Chinois on Main at lunch on another trip. Guess what made it fun was that I ran into the restaurant in shorts while my husband and a male friend were waiting in the car - and asked if wearing shorts was ok. The fellow at the front desk said "sure". So the guys then came in wearing shorts. And the shorts that were ok for me weren't ok for them. They were told they had to wear long pants. But they didn't have any in the car. So the kitchen staff offered to lend them kitchen pants - kind of a variant on the "borrowed jacket". Normally my husband wouldn't have agreed - but he knew how much I wanted to try the restaurant. So he and his friend dined wearing kitchen pants. It was a hoot :). And the staff was kind of red in the face. To compensate - they brought us out some extra dishes which were better than anything we had from the menu. We did try Spago on our last trip - and think you can safely skip it. Robyn

<<Costco is death for wine.>> I disagree. Whenever I want to buy a small trendy boutique wine - I can't (e.g., my husband and I were in BC last year - and when we tried to buy some of the wines we had there - everyone laughed - those wines don't get out of BC - except perhaps a botttle at a time from a few wine stores). What we find at our Costco here is far from garbage - there are a lot of medium (and higher) priced wines that are very good. On the other hand - our local liquor stores will usually match Costco prices. So we'll buy at the local liquor stores - or Costco - depending on where we happen to be driving on any given day. The biggest hassle in terms of getting a better selection of wines here is the stranglehold that the state distributors have on the market (if I want to buy wine on line - I can - but I will pay $21 extra for 3 bottles to the wine distribution monopoly for the privilege of buying). Robyn

At almost all restaurants - there's a lot of time devoted to "mise en place" which - translated - means "to put in place" (ahead of time). At its extreme - for example at 3 star restaurants in France - you will see the kitchen prep people hulling strawberries at 9 am. But you can also observe it at your local Chinese restaurant at 4 pm - the kitchen staff sitting down at a table and removing the strings from snow pea pods. If you want an excellent cookbook which describes some of the techniques used in professional kitchens - I recommend The New Professional Chef published by the Culinary Institute of America. Robyn

<<This is why I can't stand Joe's; yes, the crabs are fresh, well cracked and the sauce is good but should they get a medal for this? Does this justify there charging 50% more than others?>> If you're saying you think Joe's is overpriced - you won't get any argument from me <smile>. We used to buy crabs at other places too - but - since we haven't lived in Miami for 8 years now - my recommendations are probably stale. My parents - who live in northern Broward country - buy crabs at King's (a food market) - and they've been good (in terms of size and freshness) whenever my parents have served them for dinner. My father made a "crab cracking contraption" for the garage. It works fine. And I make the mustard sauce recipe from Joe's. So we have the bases covered. Seafood contraptions are highly underrated. I used to hate rock shrimp until we found a place that had perfected a (patented) rock shrimp device (Dixie Crossings in Titusville FL - about 2 miles off I-95 for those of you on the interstate). Robyn

<<If you'd like to see the Alaskan fisherman getting a fair share, then purchase and support Alaskan fisheries by refusing to purchase farm raised garbage.>> I don't know how old you are. I am almost 60 - and I have lived in Florida for over 30 years. Before farmed raised salmon - you only saw salmon here at very fancy expensive restaurants - and very very occasionally at food markets at almost $20/pound. So what you are saying in essence to most of us in the US is we should never eat salmon at all. How about if we told you in salmon country never to eat anything other than free range organic poultry? Or organic oranges? Even if that meant your chicken would cost $15 and your orange juice would cost $3/glass? I don't think you're being realistic. Robyn

<<my salad spinner ranks a close second.>> We use ours all the time. Guess one man's trash is another man's treasure. Robyn

<<This vintage didn't taste like banana-ade like the last several vintages. It actually had some substance. This is the "California" vintage of Beaujolais. As far as $6.49 a bottle is concerned, this is disturbing. Costco has to buy from the distributor. The distributor marks up the wine from the supplier, who has also marked up the wine. The bottle costs 75¢, the cork costs 10¢, the label costs 25¢, the capsule 5¢. Working backwards, the distributor paid $4, the supplier paid $2,deduct the $1.15 for the packaging, the wine itself is WORTH PENNIES. A palliative, not a ponderable.>> I don't know how Costco buys. I know it has enough purchasing power to buy directly from the manufacturer - but our liquor distributor lobby in Florida has a lot of clout (and we have the stupid laws to show for it). Robyn

<<In just over 25 hours, not only did we eat the TDF at Trio but we also ate at Harold’s Fried Chicken, Al’s and Johnnie’s Italian Beef, SuperDawg, and Gino’s East. Needless to say that by the end of the trip we were absolutely stuffed.>> In what order did you eat at these restaurants? And all in 25 hours? Robyn

<<i think a few chefs in the US would disagree with you.>> They probably would Tommy - but when I have reason to believe that a certain food item doesn't "travel well" - I'd rather stick with the local stuff. Whatever it happens to be. Robyn

<<I live in a neighborhood that is called, I think, in zoning parlance, the "Red Zone," which means you basically can't have a sidewalk cafe. Several bar/restaurant owners in the area have recently made the case to me that, with the recession and the smoking ban, they could really use a financial boost -- and that having sidewalk cafes set up for the summer could be just the thing. Now, of course, as a resident I'm not crazy about the idea -- sidewalk cafes can be loud and intrusive, especially if you live above them, and they cause pedestrian congestion. But they also add character to the neighborhood, and they're good for businesses and therefore employment, tax revenue, and the economy. I'd therefore be willing to support a broad-based increase in the number of sidewalk-cafe permits, and an expansion of the acceptable zones, in New York City. Anybody with me on that?>> I can't speak as a resident - just as a tourist who used to go to Manhattan every couple of years - spending thousands of dollars each trip on hotels, restaurants, theater, etc. I'm one of the 1/3 of adults in the US who smokes. Yes - I know it's not good for you - and it will probably kill me - but that's not the point of this thread. I never minded going to big deal restaurants like AD and the like where smoking is usually off limits. I do resent not being able to go a bar and not having a cigarette with my drink. So - until things change in New York - I'm spending my travel dollars elsewhere. I will note that in places which have similar smoking bans - like Los Angeles and all of Florida now - well restaurants in places that are warm have simply moved parts (in some cases large parts) of their facilities outside. We were in LA a couple of years ago - and while the inside restaurant at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills was almost totally empty every night - the outside patio where people could smoke was always full. I didn't know the names of all the familiar movie star faces I saw - but they were all smoking. Where I live - in north Florida - there aren't as many outside dining facilities - and a lot of places are going out of business. Except for the normal chain garbage - the Ruby Tuesdays of the world - where people never wanted to spend more than 30 minutes or 30 dollars feeding a family of 4. And the steak house chains where large corporate groups tend to congregate. I know that when Florida voters voted on the smoking ban - the dominant ad for the ban was an 11 year old saying she didn't like to eat in restaurants where people smoked. I hope she's spending the approximately $6,000 a year that I'm not spending now eating at local restaurants. I will be going to London in the spring - and I will be dropping a lot of money there at restaurants that I otherwise might be spending at home - or in New York. Robyn

I won't get into the "I like" or "don't like" truffles debate. I will tell you that they're a food item - like stone crabs - which doesn't travel well distance or time-wise. So unless you're someplace where they come from - don't even bother to try them. Robyn

<<As I sit writing, my peach tree, which lost all her leaves last week, is now in full bloom. This is a first; she has never bloomed in November. Of course, there won't be enough time for the fruit before a freeze hits us, unless we are extremely lucky.>> I live in north Florida. Climate similar to yours - probably a bit warmer (we are zone 9a - you are probably 8). In all likelihood - you don't get enough chill hours on a regular basis for something like peaches. Everyone worries about whether plants will freeze in certain zones - but not enough retailers tell us how many chill hours we need for certain plants to flower/fruit successfully. We have had a very warm winter across the south as of today - so a lot of our plants which would rather be dormant now have been forced into late season blooming/growing. We're getting the flowers now we would otherwise get in the spring. By the way - one thing that always works for me in the spring (late February to early May) is Martha Stewart spring mix seeds from KMart. Easy as pie to grow and tasty to boot. Gotta love Martha . Robyn

<<Georges Deboeuf 2003 $7.99>> I don't drink wine that often - but my husband does. Georges Deboeuf was at Costco yesterday for $6.49. For what it's worth - Costco sells more French wine than any retailer in the US - including a fair amount of high end stuff. Robyn

Perhaps it's because it's something we can't get at home - and we miss it a lot - but every time we're in Vancouver - brunch at the Pink Pearl (dim sum) is a must. Robyn

<<I agree with almost everything you say, Robyn. Indeed, most of the salmon we eat is the farmed Atlantic variety, because it is a lot better than no salmon at all. But fresh sockeye is mighty tasty.>> I agree with what you say too <smile>. I happen to live in a "non-fresh-wild-salmon part of the world". I enjoy eating all kinds of fresh wild salmon - mostly plain thank you - when I travel - but - without farmed salmon - it wouldn't be as common on my dinner table as hamburger (and it's more common than hamburger - because I'm not a big beef eater). My favorite preparations are cooked in foil (basted with a bit of olive oil - and some basil and tomatoes on top) or cooked on the grill on one of those planks they sell at Williams Sonoma. Robyn

<<OK... I am confused. What is so bad about farm raised salmon? That is a serious question. I really don't know if I would know the difference. And hasn't aquaculture been encouraged to supply much needed protein? After all, the Polynesians were practicing aquaculture hundreds of years ago. Enlighten me, please.>> Fifi - You are right to be skeptical. There are issues about farmed salmon. But there are many issues about non-farmed seafood that don't get nearly as much press (if they get any at all). Like the FDA warning for women of child bearing age and children regarding fish they should only eat in very limited quantities (if at all) due to mercury levels. Hepatitis problems with shellfish. Ciguetera <sp?> in reef fish (this is a nasty neurotoxin that occurs naturally in many larger reef fish - including grouper - I've seen a fair number of lawsuits involving it). Worms in fish. Etc. Some of the problems are related to what people do - some just occur naturally and were around long before people were around. When I used to go to the Bahamas - there was an old native custom. Feed the junk parts of the seafood you catch to the cat. If the cat is ok the next morning - you can eat it yourself. Overall - our food laws regarding seafood are almost non-existent compared to the laws that govern the production of things like beef, chicken and pork. I'd put produce in the middle of the regulation spectrum - especially when it comes to imported produce. I have never read anything particularly bad about the health consequences of eating farmed salmon. And I am old enough to remember when I never had to worry about salmon at all - because it was so expensive that you only ate it occasionally (whether at home or at restaurants). In addition - I am sure that a lot of the same people who say that farmed salmon isn't as tasty as wild smother it with sauces that obliterate all traces of the natural taste. Too bad I can't take on some of the people who complain about farmed salmon with a blind tasting. Robyn

<<Sorry for the commercial, but the Sterling Silver line is good stuff.>> Didn't in any way mean to disparage your former client. As someone who cooks for perhaps 2-4 people in a home setting - the cost doesn't bother me (no matter what it costs - it's cheaper than eating a steak at a place like Ruth's Chris or Morton's). I believe you can order off the web site I looked at - and I will take another look at the offerings there. Robyn

<<One last thing about knife safety. with the knives of today, the practise of food prep while drinking can lead to accidents. -Dick>> Agreed - my husband combined some fancy knife work with a martini and cut off the tip of a finger. I bought a video from Henckels which does a good job of illustrating (safe) knife techniques. Also - if you're doing work with sharp knives on stuff that's slippery (like fish and chicken) - it might be a good idea to invest in one of those gloves that you can't cut through - the kind that butchers use. Robyn

This is the best corn pudding recipe I have - it is more like a corn pudding souffle. It's delicious. 5 large eggs 2 cups frozen corn kernels thawed and drained on paper towels 1 package frozen cream style corn defrosted (I usually defrost both corns in the microwave) 1 1/4 cups whole milk 1 1/4 cups whipping cream 1/3 cup all purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt Put rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter 8x8x2 baking dish (I use pyrex). Whisk eggs in large bowl to blend. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until well blended. Pour into prepared dish. Bake until top is golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean - about 1 hour and 10 minutes. That's it. The recipe is best out of the oven (after a bit of rest - like 5-10 minutes). It's ok reheated - just ok. Takes so little work in my opnion that there's no reason it shouldn't be eaten at its best.

My husband and I once stayed overnight in New Iberia. Instead of the normal chocolates on the bed - there were little bottles of tobasco sauce. You gotta love it .

<<However, my most joyful portion of the visit was Acme Oyster on Iberville, off Bourbon St.>> There are Acme people - and there are Felix's people. Think it depends on how you're stamped at birth. Robyn

I have been going to Felix's every time I have been in New Orleans for about 25 years now (I'm a retired lawyer - and I used to argue cases in the appellate court there on a regular basis). Last time I was there was 2 years ago. Felix's always seems to stay the same - and I haven't been disappointed. It's like an old comfortable pair of shoes. Only problem is sometimes I think I'm out of my mind eating gulf oysters without a hepatitis shot (I live in North Florida and read too many articles about problems with the oyster beds). One restaurant no one has mentioned is Dominque's in the French Quarter. We had our first meal there on our last trip. It is a "big deal" restaurant. It is not "world famous" - but it is excellent. I have to add one note about the cooking in New Orleans. Just about every restaurant we went to (once we got away from raw oysters) used way way too much salt. I would wake up in the middle of the night dying of thirst and chug down a bottle of water. I live in the south - so I am not unused to too much salt - but I think New Orleans restauraurants set a record in my books. I think that using too much salt is the sign of a poor chef. There are so many interesting herbs and spices in the world other than salt - and - when I cook New Orleans style food - I manage to make tasty dishes without risking congestive heart failure. So why are most of the chefs in New Orleans so heavy with the salt shaker? This overuse of salt - among other things - is probably why the people in New Orleans are the unhealthiest people in the US. Also - no one has mentioned the zoo in New Orleans. It is a world class zoo - and the ride to it on the trolley through the Garden District (particularly in the spring blooming season) isn't too shabby either. Robyn

Suzanne beat me to the punch - but I agree with her. The best knife is the one that feels best in your hand and does the job. I am a short person with very small hands. I like the Henckels 4 stars because they have small handles - but I like even better my really old Case knives (because their handles are even smaller). My husband has larger hands - and he likes different knives. So we have "his knives" - and "her knives". Based on the size of our hands - and what we each do in the kitchen. I bought my husband a Wusthof Santoku knife - and a Wusthof offset slicer - last year as presents - and he loves both of them. By the way - the most important piece of advice I can give you about knives is get them sharpened professionally at least once in a while. We found a fellow who does knives for restaurants in his panel truck - and he comes around to our house about once a year to sharpen our knives. Robyn