robyn

[People who are fanatics about recycling please skip this message!] I think the 30 "half pans" I bought at Costco were maybe $6-7. So I can't imagine trying to reuse them. And I sure wouldn't do anything at home that isn't reasonable in terms of food service (I mean - is it any better to give yourself food poisoning than to have a restaurant give it to you!). By the way - I live in a small county which doesn't recycle much. It can't afford to subsidize the recycling. Abolished recycling glass this year. Robyn

By the way - these were two of the dishes that sounded great: CHILLED "PURÉE" OF ENGLISH PEA SOUP Split Peas, White Truffle Oil-Infused "Mousse" and Summer Truffle Sandwich LOBSTER CORN CHOWDER Applewood Smoked Bacon "Bits," Chanterelle Mushrooms, Lobster Knuckle and Sweet Corn "Beignets" My husband would kill for the first. I would kill for the second. Ever see the movie "Defending Your Life"? That is my fantasy (at least it's one of my fantasies ) - being served 12 pies - all the most delicious pies you ever ate - being able to eat them all - and never getting fat . Also by the way - if you've never seen the movie do - great movie. Robyn

My husband and I will be going to Per Se Sunday. Was the menu you had a tasting menu - or a 5 course menu - or some other menu? How did you (or anyone else who has been to the restaurant) reach the decision to try the menu you tried? Seems as if most people here have had the tasting menu (although I haven't gone back over all the messages) - but I looked at a 5 course menu from a while back that I found on the internet - and some of the choices there sounded really interesting. I'd appreciate any comments from people who did try the 5 course menu. And I'd especially appreciate any comments from those lucky people who've been to Per Se more than once - and had the opportunity to try more than one type of menu. By the way - my husband and I haven't decided what to do. We'll decide when we look at the menus that evening. I like to order ingredients that I love to eat - and if I see them on the menu that evening - any menu - I'll order them. Robyn

Bad week - bad month. I haven't had much time to write - but I am reading. Funny - my first thought was Bora Bora - then I looked it up and remembered there was a big terrorist attack there. What went through my mind was like on the Expedia commercials. Plus - when you try to get an airfare quote from Jacksonville to Bora Bora - Travelocity says - duh. Just to give you some ideas about my husband - the Hedonism resort wouldn't kill him - but snorkeling with the sharks certainly would . And you're right about the crossover between travel and food Gifted Courmet. But that's always true. I do remember some truly fine meals in some really crummy towns/cities - but a wonderful setting always has the potential of enhancing an experience. I can relate to the salt thing too. My father-in-law has congestive heart failure - so he was on a really low salt diet. But now he's dying of cancer. We went to a very typical southern much-too-salty pig-picking today. Needless to say - we told him not to worry about the salt <sigh>. I don't think the next month or two will be any better in general than the last month or two - so I appreciate all the great ideas. Fantasy is fun - doesn't have to be one for my husband - could be one that you've been toying with for yourself. Thanks - keep the ideas coming and I'll keep reading. Robyn

I go through tons of towels. I buy packages 12 white (bleachable) "hotel hand towels" at Costco or factory outlets. Less than a buck each. At that price - you don't have to worry how many you use. Robyn

I used to think that too much salt was only a southern problem (I live in the south). The more I read - the more I realize it's a national problem. I cook "low salt" (which is basically "reasonable" salt as opposed to "no salt") at home. And I now make it a point to ask servers to tell chefs to hold off on adding extra salt to the food during last minute prep or before serving (what's in the basic prep is frequently fine - it's usually a heavy hand with the salt shaker before serving that's the culprit). Salt is something that you can always add at the last minute if the dish isn't salty enough. Robyn

It's my husband's 60th birthday next year - May - and I want to surprise him with something really nice. He's been so tired lately - taking care of his Dad - dealing with hurricane debris - junk like that. He needs some R&R in a relaxing place - with great food. Although he usually likes places like New York - I was surprised that he enjoyed my surprise 50th birthday trip to Hawaii so much. So I'm trying to evoke that memory - and trump it. So tell me if you were (or - preferably - are) - a 60 year old guy - what would you like? Where would you want to go - and where have you gone where you came back with a nice smile on your face. I know that Bloomingdales does not enter into this equation . We can probably travel far - as long as we don't have to spend more than 5-7 days. Although I don't want to spend most of the trip - and a week after that - getting over jet lag. So west from Florida might be ok - whereas east wouldn't be (jet lag west --> east is a lot harder than east --> west). And far isn't - of course - necessary. Could be someplace in the Caribbean - or Sonoma - just about anywhere. If you could tell your wife or significant other what you want - what would you say? Again - only requirements are an opportunity for lots of R&R - and great food. Robyn

That sounds terrific Katie. Thanks for mentioning it - and I'll make a note of it. When we were younger - we used to go for 2-3 week trips - wherever. Didn't have a care in the world. Now with 3 elderly and 2 sickly parents - we can't go super-far - or stay super-long. Even our 1 week trip to London this spring (for - in part - the Chelsea Flower Show) was touch and go in terms of parental illness. So we're concentrating more on 4-5 day trips where we don't have to get bent out if we have to cancel at the last minute or return home in the middle. Guess that southeast Asia trip I've always wanted to take will have to wait for a while. Robyn

What I was planning to do was make as many "do-ahead" dishes as possible - reheat them in the oven - and then put them in the chafing dishes. And boiling the water in my tea kettle like you mentioned. Thanks for the tip about using plastic wrap. I usually don't cook for this many people - so I'm used to storing/reheating in things like Corning dishes with glass covers. If I only needed one chafer - I might be tempted by the AllClad. Since I need about 5-6 - and only for this one time in about 30 years - the idea was a non-starter . They are really pretty though. Robyn

Oh goodie - a new thread on Phoenix/Scottsdale. We'll be going there in early December to visit my brother and his family. We've only been there in the summer before - and I'm looking forward to not getting heat prostration (before you protest - I'm from Florida - and the summer trip exploring the innards of non-air conditioned Taliesan West just about did me in). My brother lives in Cave Creek - and we'll be staying at the Four Seasons at Troon. Don't mind some driving (inevitable both in Florida and Arizona) - but we'd prefer not to log 100 miles round trip for dinner). Any recommendations in that general neck of the woods for a really nice place where we can take my brother and his family out to dinner? And perhaps a recommendation or two for more casual dining near Kierland Commons or the Fashion Square Mall (where I will go shopping with my nieces and learn which retailing stocks will be winners/losers next year )? We had a couple of lunches at the mall last time we were there - southwestern food - can't remember the names of the places - and don't know if they're still there (we were there maybe 4-5 years ago) - but they were really good. I remember excellent tortilla soup. And perhaps something near downtown Scottsdale (my brother works there) - for a decent lunch. We had a great time eating there last trip - and would like to explore what's old and still good - and what's new. Robyn

And although it's not relevant to your trip (wrong time of year) - for people who might read this thread for trips at other times of the year - the Philadelphia Flower Show is probably the best in the US. There are good air/hotel packages available for that show. I haven't lived in Philadelphia for about 30 years now - but I remember the stuff there that I really loved. Robyn

Apart from the fact that TPTB will probably quarantine our messages if we get into a food fight about trash and recyling - I'll say that just because these chafers say they're disposable - doesn't mean I'll throw them in the trash right after using them. I'll stick them in the attic - and then - when I find them 5 years from now when I'm looking for holiday decorations - I'll throw them away . Actually - the biggest problem with "disposables" is they're so cheap they have no resale value on Ebay (which is where I get rid of most of the stuff I don't use anymore). And just for future reference - I'm a terrible person to talk with about this subject. I read 3 (frequently fat) newspapers a day. So I am probably personally responsible for the destruction of a couple of forests and the construction of a couple of Mt. Trashmores (which is what we call our landfills here in Florida). By the way - we are renting tables - chairs - linens - etc. Our attic isn't that big! Using disposable plates - and our own glasses/cutlery. Not perfect I'm sure from your POV - but not 100% hopeless either. Robyn

We don't have gas where I live - and I don't want a propane tank. So I have a sealed electric cook top (couldn't tell you whether it's glass - ceramic - or whatever). I am a really sloppy cook. And I love the thing. Because I think it's easy to clean. Even the next day (which is when I usually clean it). When I burn things up on the surface - I just let it cool down. Then I scrape the lumps off with a razor blade. No scratches. Use the cooktop polish for a final touch up clean and shine. There is no question that you'll get more heat control with unsealed gas burners. But I'd rather spend a few minutes lifting up a pan now and then to control the heat on a really heat sensitive dish than spending most of my life cleaning my stove. Note that I've never had a problem with the burners getting really hot and maintaining a constant temperature. Robyn

Took a quick look - and I don't think anyone answered your question. Kosher isn't really a cuisine. It's a set of "eating rules". When you "keep Kosher" - basically there are 4 kinds of foods. Meat - dairy - neutrals (like most veggies) - and things you can't eat at all (like shellfish and pork products). You can't mix meat with dairy (either the foods or the things they're cooked in or served on) - although you can serve "neutrals" with either. In addition - there are certain rules for preparing certain kinds of food. For example - for beef to be kosher - the cows must be slaughtered in a particular way (throats slit to drain blood - as opposed to being hit on the head with an electric stick). As long as a restaurant or other place where things are cooked (one's house, a nursing home, etc.) adheres to these rules - the food is "kosher". So kosher food can be very different from traditional Jewish dishes - many of which tend to be ethnic rather than prepared in accordance with the dietary laws. No reason you can't make Chinese kosher food - or Indian kosher food - or southern kosher food - as long as you adhere to the rules. Anyway - although I'm Jewish - I'm not very religious - and I don't "keep kosher". So this is probably a half-baked explanation. Hope some people who know more than I do will chime in and perhaps correct anything I've said that's wrong. Robyn P.S. Just to confuse things a bit more - you have "kosher meals" (meals cooked in kosher kitchens in accordance with the dietary laws) - and "people who keep kosher" (people who won't eat food not prepared in accordance with the dietary laws). A non-kosher person can eat a kosher meal - and someone who usually keeps a kosher kitchen at home can (if not super religious) eat an occasional non-kosher meal. There is a Jewish fondness for things like Chinese food which is almost legendary (even my grandmother would eat pork and shrimp at Chinese restaurants) - and I think that's because a lot of people who observed the dietary laws at home liked the occasional "day off".

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is world class. And you can jump up and down on the steps like Rocky . Robyn

I think one is branded at birth (or first trip) when it comes to Acme or Felix's. I'm a Felix person myself. Doubt you can go wrong at either place. But you must at least try one. Don't miss the zoo. It's a really world class zoo (and taking the trolley there through the Garden District isn't too shabby either). Robyn

I have a chinois - but I doubt it's commercial quality. You didn't say what you're trying to strain. For a lot of things - not super heavy lifting - I simply put a Krups coffee filter in the chinois. They're relatively strong even when I mash down with a spoon - and all I have to do when cleaning is throw the filter away. Robyn

There's an article in today's New York Times about the big food fight expected at this year's Southern Foodways Alliance meeting. A whole lot of ridiculous stuff about who did what first - poor white people or poor black people. I know that politics is beyond the realm of this website - but when it reaches the front page of the dining section of the New York Times - I think it's an appropriate topic of discussion. And - as someone who has lived in the south for a fairly long time (over 30 years) - I have 2 observations. First - it was always a hallmark of the powers that were in the old days in the south (and it wasn't the "good" old days) that you set poor whites fighting with poor blacks - and vice versa - and then the rich folk did whatever they wanted to do. I thought that kind of stuff had come to end - years ago - but apparently "foodies" haven't heard about the "truce"- and the fight for a common good. Second - it doesn't matter who did it first. It's who does it best. And - even though I'm an upper middle class white Jewish first generation southern woman - and not a poor 10th generation southern anything - if my sweet potato pie is better than your sweet potato pie - I win. Robyn

Some of the stuff on the website seemed extremely expensive - but I was looking at the 8 ounce rib eyes which cost - in bulk - about $16/each. Certainly not cheap - but not mind-blowingly expensive either. It was mentioned in this thread that perhaps one wouldn't notice a huge difference between a naturally marbled (read lots of fat) cut of beef like a prime rib eye from Lobel's as compared to a choice supermarket rib eye. Is that correct? Is there even a noticeable difference? I'd hate to spend $32/pound versus the $5 or $6 a pound that I would pay at Harris Teeter when their more expensive Angus rib-eyes are on sale. Especially since my audience won't be the most discerning. Robyn

I do the Velveeta with Newman's salsa (the latter low in salt). Certainly not for someone with congestive heart failure - but an improvement. I have tried the Goya black beans before - and find they're watery compared to the Progresso. Robyn

Well I have a question to ask those of you who know more about chocolate than I do. I first "discovered" Vosges in its first (and then only) boutique in the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago. It was early 2002. I thought the chocolate was fantastic (had some there - brought some home). My husband remembered that I liked it - so he ordered it for me on the internet. And it wasn't like I remembered. It was good - but not fantastic. So did the production techniques change? Or are my taste-bud memories faulty (nothing like eating chocolate after having a great massage to do you in )? Note that I can't get any of these high-end chocolates except via the internet. And that my husband usually buys them for me. He absolutely loves Vosges because it has a great web site. And its shipping is first rate (which is important when you're shipping something like chocolate to Florida). I prefer Maison du Chocolat for the chocolate - but my husband tells me its web site is positively a mess (although the shipping there is excellent too). Anyway - since he orders chocolate for me more than once a year - he buys a little from here - a little from there - etc. (from places other than Vosges and Maison du Chocolat too). Variety is the spice of life! Anyway - additional information would be appreciated. Robyn

Thanks for the information. We'll be in New York from the 21st to the 25th. Have reservations the 21st and 22nd - Bar Mitzvah the 23rd. That leaves the 24th. I'm hoping maybe we can work something out with BCM. It would be a shame for him to give up the reservation - and a shame for us to miss Per Se! Robyn

That's weird. 10/24 is our last day in New York - and the only day we don't have a dinner reservation. On the other hand - my husband and I have never eaten an expensive meal with total strangers. On the third hand - I'm sure there are total strangers who are more fun than some of the people we eat with on a regular basis - like my parents . Are you a nice person ? By the way - we usually eat at normal dinner hours - not 5:30 - but I suppose we could eat breakfast and starve ourselves the rest of the day. Robyn P.S. We are *very* nice people - but I suspect the only qualification for something like this is that you love to eat great food - and we do. P.P.S. I got so excited I didn't read the fine print - that you have a table for 2 - not 4. I'd do a lot of things to eat a great meal - but leaving my husband in the hotel room isn't one of them . Wonder if there's any chance of changing that 2 to a 3?

I went to Costco the other day to pick up some things - and they were selling the disposable chafers for $3.50 each. Huge packs of Hefty water and serving pans (15 water pans and 30 1/2 serving pans) were cheap too. So I bought 3 chafers and a pack each of water and serving pans. Think the whole thing cost about $20-25. No one would ever confuse these for All Clad chafers - but they're not terrible looking either (perhaps because the finish is a matte finish - not shiny). And you can prepare the food in advance - dish it into the Hefty pans - maybe reheat in the oven - and then serve. Don't know if I'll wind up using these things for Thanksgiving - but for $25 (excluding fuel) - what do I have to lose? Robyn

OK - I did some research on the internet - and the pastry chef describes one of the desserts as a "chocolate mousse dome". It's a half sphere of terrific mousse - enrobed with a nice chocolate coating - and then it's decorated kind of like an easter egg. Beautiful to look at - delicious to eat. I couldn't find the other dessert - but it's a 3 layered fruit/vegetable mousse served in a cone shaped glass serving dish. Tropical fruits (I think they were mango and papaya) on the bottom and top. And the middle was an avocado mousse. The avocado was a foil for the tropical fruit - and cut their sweetness. I noticed that both of these desserts made an appearance on the Sunday brunch spread the next day. And the chocolate mousse dome was sold separately at the "chocolate boutique". So perhaps these desserts weren't "special for us". But they weren't on the menu that evening. And they were delicious. By the way - the brunch spread looked delicious - but I am unfortunately a person who is used to eating sparingly at lunch. Robyn