bottomlesspit

Caipirinha looks like Portuguese to me, so my guess would be kai (long i vowel sound) pee REEN yah Timbale, I think, is both Spanish and Italian teem BAH leh As for pho, there is a little upward lilt, as though you're asking a question, so I'd liken it to asking "huh?", only with the 'f' sound in place of the 'h' in the beginning. As for mille feuille - agreed that it is so very difficult to describe the pronunciation with English phonics. I've also heard a lot of fwah gWah, but I guess it's because the gutteral 'r' is not really found in English. *Edit : Oh, and it's SAHLssah, NOT SAHLzuh.

Definitely sounds like a tea sammy. I've had something like that before - not bad, but I don't think I'd be compelled to order one by itself. If it came with tea, I'd definitely have a bite or two again.

For me, there are times when the benefits of using paper and/or plastic outweigh the enjoyment of using real servingware, and at those times, I use disposable items unapologetically. If the party exceeds 12-16, if there are lots of children, if it's a casual get together and I know I'll be exhausted for cleanup after having cooked and prepared, I'll turn to the disposables. Whenever possible, though, I do stick plastic that's reusable in the dishwasher and save it for packing lunches and the like. As for food prep, when I worked as a personal chef, I used paper plates constantly - the really cheap ones that are 100 for a buck. Saved lots of cleanup hassle. I think there are appropriate occasions for keeping it very casual this way, though I also know people who have major aversions to using the stuff.

I'm inclined to say let the chef dictate the cooking and let the market decide whether that chef should be allowed to continue to dictate the cooking. It's absolutely the right of the establishment to refuse to serve or revise something , but whether that choice is wise given its market is a whole 'nother topic.

I rarely buffet, but if I do, it's my only meal of the day with a few fresh fruits and vegetables and glasses of water thrown in sometime thereafter to keep the system in check. So yes, I do sometimes gorge, but it all seems to balance out this way.

Child #1 aversion: onions. Which is mine and hubby's favorite herb, so first trimester was challenging from the cooking standpoint. Child #1 craving: Burgers of any sort. Child #2 - no particular aversions or cravings. The only thing that kept me away from food was fatigue.

If you search the coffee threads here you'll find quite a few people who agree with you about that, myself included. ← Thanks. I was kindly and gently reminded by our moderator that there exists a Coffee and Tea forum. I shall work on properly categorizing my posts in the future. [insert contrite smilie]

Of all the die-hard (or at least mildly addicted) coffee drinkers I know, I think I'm the only one who doesn't like Starbucks. I find all of the roasts that I've tried to date to be over-roasted to my palate - bitter without being rounded and strong but not full-bodied. And since I have no use for the foo-foo stuff (the most I ever add to my joe is cream and sugar), I generally have no use for Starbucks unless it's 2pm and I'm jonesing for caffeine, and the only coffee in sight is Starbucks. I might get flamed for this, but I can honestly say I'd take a cup of strong Folgers to a cup of Starbucks. Am I just a freak? (Please keep discussion to coffee issues - my freakishness in other arenas is off topic. )

Melissa, you should write a coffee table book of some sort - you sure have a gift for getting people talking... Favorite: - fresh chopped mint, cilantro and basil - freshly brewed coffee (other than Starbucks) - vanilla, butter and chocolate baking (in any combination) - pure chicken or beef stock (no savories or herbs thrown in) - hot green tea - onions and garlic sauteing - korean barbecue over coals - pho broth Least favorite: - raw egg or chicken - nato I could go on...

"...but do you think this Cambodian family goes out and eats boatloads of various glazed buttermilk donuts?" I don't believe you can create a consistently good product by sheer luck, merely following a recipe, or even just following the instructions on the box of instant batter. I've had many a ruined Duncan Hines yellow cake made by people who "just followed the directions". So, not sure about the boatloads, but I'm inclined to think they've made and eaten enough donuts to know what works and what doesn't. *Edited to fix quote. *Re-edit. F-it - I can't figure out how to quote.

No, but judging from the bagels resulting from the recent acquisition of the Noah's Bagels in my neighborhood strip mall, you certainly shouldn't be Korean. But in all seriousness, whatever the food you endeavor to make, you've got to eat it, lots of it. Be familiar with the best, worst and mediocre of it so you know what it's supposed to be like and what it's definitely NOT supposed to be like. I think anyone of any culture can beautifully recreate food from another culture - you just gotta know the food inside out. Case in point: the Cambodian family running the Donut Star next to said Noah's Bagels makes a fabulous glazed buttermilk. Oh, and their krullers ain't half bad, either.

I'm not as big on etiquette as I am on manners. I loosely define etiquette as rules of social interaction created over time by people who have too much money and time on their hands to distinguish themselves from those who don't have as much money and time on their hands. I loosely define manners as those things you do in thoughtful consideration of other human beings. There are lots of rules of etiquette that can be broken without ruining a meal for someone else. I don't think anyone should consider his dinner ruined because someone didn't know to work his way from the outside in with his silverware, or buttered his own entire roll before taking a bite out of it rather than breaking off a bite-sized piece then buttering it, or put his elbows on the table reasonably within his own space during the meal... On the other hand, for instance, if a meal were being served family style and a person took a huge serving of something that he really liked on the first go-round, not leaving enough for others, I'd consider that ill-mannered, and I would take notice. Or if someone were invited to dinner and, barring allergies or moral convictions, didn't at least sample something offered to him simply because he didn't like it, I'd also consider that ill mannered. General consideration for others over etiquette always. I could care less if someone switches hands after cutting his meat or doesn't know his armpit from an escargot fork.

Wow - a quick scan of the numerous previous responses leads me to believe that I'm in a very lonely minority, as I think I'm the first person to say that I don't like goat cheese in any form, from any place. Tastes like what I imagine Crayolas would taste like if they were softened and salted. I find lamb slightly more tolerable, but it has to be hot or warm. Do love lots of other cheeses, tho.

I had the misfortune of being in a culinarily destitute area once and had to eat at Applebees, so my question would be "So you call that s*** food?" Oh, you mean as an investor? I echo the sentiment about how they will differentiate themselves in such a saturated market with lots of other chains, which, IMO, are much better at the low-mid range Americana food with little (horrible) bits of misinformed, bastardized "ethnic" and "regional" influences (like CHAH-neez Chikin' Salad and Blackened Everything), unless their expansion strategy is strictly aimed at being the first of such kind of restaurant in other culinarily destitute locations.

Funny - I think I actually taste something Worcestershire-y in the Heinz, and something definitely cooked/caramelized. (Maybe if you caramelized onions/shallots and pureed them? Prob wouldn't look right, but might taste ok.) And this is a sincere question - since many here seem to agree that Heinz is pretty darned good ketchup (and at least in these parts not all that expensive - pretty darned cheap at Costco, actually), what are your primary reasons for wanting to recreate it? Is it mainly for the satisfaction of having discovered how?

is it a chefs knife? I'd be interested, i really would.

I live in nyc, can I buy these razor sharp, super light and oh so easy to use knives? I NEED KNIVES PEOPLE! (and I'm broke, and I cut with the worst crap you've ever seen) (my roomates from hong kong, i'm almost tempted to have him get his relatives to bring me the aforementioned carbon steel kives...) any advice would be greatly appreciated (I'm err, at my wits end...). ninad Ninad, Looked for a web resource for these but couldn't find one, which made me think... If I shipped them to you, would anyone be interested in buying them from me for $8 or $9 + S&H? They're really quite handy. =) If so, let me know and I'll check the store for stock.

I've done the chutney, caramelized onions and mushroom duxelle - all quite tasty. Can't really go wrong w/ the brie/puff pastry combo. Thanks for reminding us of how yummy it is!

Would you believe me if I told you that the Ralphs, Gelsons, and Bristol Farms in my neighborhood DO NOT carry the Pepperidge Farm bread? Sheesh!

Thanks! I knew I'd get a good and quick reply here. I'm not all that keen on making them the day before, either, but this is what my client has requested (I think she doesn't want me there the day of the shower so she can take credit - which is just fine - part of what I get paid for). Just so I've got it straight - wrap first in lightly dampened towel or paper towel then tightly in plastic? Do you stack several? And would it help to put pieces of wax paper in between? And another thing - just what is the difference between plain old sandwich bread (which is the kind I've always used) and the "very thin, homemade style white bread" referred to in all my tea sandwich recipes?

That is, a day (not hours) in advance. Any helpful hints most appreciated. Thanks!

Kiwi brand knives (I think they're made in Thailand) for $2.99 - Use them for my cooking classes and all my upscale gadget-loving clients with their various expensive knives marvel at how they're razor sharp, super light and so easy to use. Also agree about IKEA - their cheese grater, the one w/ the oval bowl and lid was the best $2.50 I ever spent. Bamboo spoons and spatulas from the Asian grocery are super cheap, hold up very well and can be used for nonstick surfaces, obviating the need for plastic utensils (which tend to melt when you leave them sitting for a few seconds too long in a hot pot or pan ). And yes, the indispensable kitchen thongs - available on clearance at Victoria's Secret in multiple colors and patterns for 5 bucks a piece or thereabouts. I won't cook in anything else.

Where I live, it seems that mediocre food is a prerequisite for waterfront (not just near the beach or lake - actually on the water) locations, so there: mediocre (or worse) food + waterfront location In the past couple of years, though, I have seen more waterfront restaurants going out of business, which in itself is not a good thing (there are few things more heartbreaking than seeing a restaurateur having a ciggie at a table in his empty joint praying for customers), but is a positive step in that it indicates that a waterfront location is no longer a guarantee of brisk business. I guess since they're no longer the novelty they once were (at least around these parts), people are actually starting to expect good food when they pay through the nose even if they get to look at the water thisclose.

I was in my local chef's supply store discussing w/ one of the staff how best to roll a Wellington, and one of the guys in there says "Wellington? That's so OLD school." I think a good food idea should get to stick around. Period.

May brings the intersection of my favorite fruits for fruit salad - strawberry, mango, pineapple. Yum!