LaurieA-B

This afternoon at the grocery store, I was next to a woman whose basket held: four Braeburn apples three large russet potatoes one box taco shells one packet taco seasoning one bag miniature marshmallows Mystery basket chefs, to your kitchens!

"Rambling with Schrambling" is a poor piece because it does not accomplish its purpose. The purpose was, apparently, to show that Schrambling is a crummy writer who does not deserve her present and past prominent newspaper positions. Klc also criticized her new website. The result of Klc's piece, however, is that Schrambling has been elevated to a position of greater importance than she deserves, particularly in the minds of people who hadn't heard of her before reading this article. Her website has received a lot of publicity now, and I suspect the nastiness of Klc's article has won sympathy for Schrambling. Klc has inadvertently elevated Schrambling and dragged himself down by writing a piece that I think is unprofessional in tone. I don't understand why he would want to associate himself with such a piece. I respected Steve Klc based on the knowledge he shared on the boards, but this article does nothing to increase my respect for him. I looked at Schrambling's website and disliked much of what I saw there. Klc quotes some of the worst examples. A reasoned criticism (yes, I know he gives reasons and supports his points, but) would have been more appropriate and useful than this venomous piece. After reading this thread I pulled out Outlaw Cook and read Thorne's essay on Paula Wolfert, which I hadn't remembered clearly. It's beautifully written and Thorne makes his points without viciousness. He also chose a writer who was very well known and influential. I suggest that anyone else planning a hatchet job re-read this essay first.

The restaurant Tropics, reviewed in the Times today, sounds like a place for the cheap eats list. See you at lunch.

Would anyone like to meet at the buffet tomorrow? That's Friday, February 21. I think I will be there.

Thanks for updating us, Eat; I don't recall ever seeing or hearing that policy before, but we have always ordered drinks anyway. (I often do not order a drink while dining, partly to keep the bill down, but the food at Brasa happy hour is so cheap that I feel comfortable ordering a drink, and they have delicious cocktails.) We had dinner there on my birthday before going to a movie, and I ordered a Roman Holiday. Can't remember what was in it, but it was really good. I was not impressed with the French fries at Brasa, but the fried onions are extremely fabulous.

While I tend to be in the "Add two strips bacon, and serve" camp, I love this pasta just as it is. Something about the delicate flavor of the scallions and parsley, with the silky richness of the sauce underneath... I think bacon might overpower the other ingredients. It would probably taste great, though, so try it as a variation.

Here's that thread on sticky rice with mango. I love desserts and this is one of the best I've ever had.

Batgrrrl must not be around, or she would have totally kicked your ass by now. Maybe she's enjoying kielbasa.

nightscotsman, I would be delighted to come over and help you zest 10 limes for the syrup if it will take us closer to the Flaming Orange Gully.

Yo, Wilfrid. While Matthew was working on the ingredients list, I was adamant that it should be accessible to anyone who wanted to take the challenge--meaning that the ingredients should sound familiar to almost anyone, even inexperienced cooks, and they should be ingredients that almost anyone can buy at the grocery store. As this is the first activity of this type on egullet, I felt the accessibility was important. If this works out there may be more mystery baskets, with more unusual/challenging ingredients, in the future. We also wanted to include ingredients that people could use in a variety of ways, to make an Italian-, Chinese-, Thai-, French-, or even--perhaps--American-influenced meal. When he started writing the list, the first thing I said was, "Bacon." Of course, of course. FG, in The Soul of a Chef one chef loses major points for not using enough of the mystery basket items and taking a lot from parstock. I love that first section of the book. It's like reading a mystery/suspense novel: And Then There Were None. Fortunately, we here at egullet are not in the least competitive.

Any suggestions on where to buy specialty salts, such as fleur de sel and Maldon sea salt, in Seattle? I know Sur La Table carries them. I'm guessing that DeLaurenti may also.

New Italian restaurant has opened in the La Tienda Cadiz space on 15th: Palermo Pizza and Pasta. We walked by and saw people eating pizza. Hollywood Burger Company just opened in the former Ezo Noodle space on Broadway. Burgers, shakes, and fries, with various toppings (including a deep-fried chicken breast wrapped in bacon sandwich. With cheddar). Galerias on Broadway is expanding into the former Zodiac Espresso space next door, adding a bar. They seem to be very popular. And, as you may have heard, Salumeria on Hudson has closed. I liked it a lot in its original conception, but hadn't visited since they re-opened. The space is lovely, for whatever opens there next. I assume the owners will focus on La Medusa.

Chef, the recipe is appreciated. But what about your cooking goals for 2003?

Ellen Shapiro wrote a great profile of the Argyle winery for the Daily Gullet. Rollin Soles: Winemaker What experiences have other people had at Oregon wineries? (Or Washington. Or Hawaii, since they're now part of the Pacific NW.)

It's rather odd to see the locales of my childhood (Portland suburbs and California's Central Coast) become winemaking destinations. I'm glad they're making good wine. I've never posted on the Wine board because I'm a wine novice. I especially enjoyed this article because it discusses wine from the people and farming perspective (rather than the expensive bottle/special glasses angle, which I relate to less well). Thanks for this detailed and lucid explanation of winemaking. And who knew that Corvallis had a (good?) sushi restaurant? (It's a while since I've been there.) Ellen, one of the best things about the Daily Gullet is seeing more of your photographs. I love the wine barrels. And it would have been cruel not to include a photo of Rollin, after describing his mustache. His life is an excellent story.

Making plans for dinner at Le Pichet tomorrow night, with some friends, before Sing-along Sound of Music--I am looking forward to delicious food. And perhaps some wine to put us in a slightly tipsy mood. Question for you: Has anyone been down to Le Pichet for breakfast? I noticed they open at 8 a.m. I am curious as to whether they bake their own pastries, or if not, where they come from. Of course a Pichet baguette and butter, with coffee, would be a pretty fabulous breakfast.

A couple of weeks ago when I got home from work, I hung my coat next to Matthew's and exclaimed, "Your coat smells like doughnuts!" Good thing he's not trying to lead a secret life. I went down to Top Pot this morning and wrote some Christmas cards while nibbling on a raspberry-glazed cake doughnut (they didn't have my usual, the strawberry-glazed cruller). It was quite delicious. As I was leaving I stopped to use the restroom, and when I emerged my seat had been taken by a woman reading M. F. K. Fisher. Wasn't LainerX by any chance, was it?

We didn't have parchment paper in the house when I was a kid, and when my mom baked Cornish pasties she always lined the cookie sheets with wax paper. The edges of the wax paper were directly exposed to heat, thus my smell memory of pasties involves burned wax paper. (One of my pasty assistant jobs was peeling bits of burnt paper off the bottom of the pasties. It always came off and never left a waxy residue.) When Matthew and I get around to making pasties ourselves, I think we'll use parchment. The Reynolds parchment paper is a great product--not too expensive, and wide (15 inches). nightscotsman, I am puzzled about the usefulness of the new nonstick aluminum foil. I don't recall ever having a problem with foil sticking to food. How do you use it for "baking or cooling stuff on cookie sheets"?

Several restaurants in Seattle are sharing profits from tonight's dining with Clear Path International, a local organization that works on landmine clearance and helping landmine survivors in Southeast Asia. Read more, and get the list of restaurants: Night of 1000 Dinners Most of the restaurants are in Lower Queen Anne and Bainbridge Island. Enjoy your meal.

The current (December) issue of Saveur has a brief article about Roger Mummert and the latke festival he founded. Two recipes: Perfect Every Time Latkes and Larry's Firecracker Latke Poppers (with jalapenos and cream cheese filling, winner in the multicultural category at last year's festival). I just grated the potatoes and Matthew is frying up a batch of Jim's Tex-Mex latkes. We'll eat them with salsa. Wonderful fragrance from the kitchen right now.

I picked up the Larb and the Tom Yam flavor in Taipei, but I don't think we actually ate either one. We did, however, eat the entire can of Wild Consomme Pringles that we bought in Bangkok.

SeAAttle, here is a link to Matthew's and my description of dinner in the bar at Earth and Ocean. While I know that it is not fair to judge the restaurant based on this, the meal was so dismal that I personally have little interest in dining at E&O when there are so many other choices in Seattle. Bar Report Here's a link to nightscotsman's review of Earth and Ocean. While he liked some things about the meal, I don't think it sounds very appealing overall. E&O seawakim's meal does sound delicious, and I'm glad to hear that service is good in the restaurant.

I can't remember for sure--I think the butter tasting is a benefit for the Pike Place Market Foundation, or some such organization. The gingerbread house display sounds fun. Isn't that the one with houses designed by local architects? So, brisket!

Particularly, using pre-ground black pepper. I'm not holding my breath until all home cooks use good-quality fresh spices, but there's no reason for any home cook not to use freshly ground pepper, especially now that the little bottles with built-in grinders are becoming widely available. (I just saw them at Safeway.) I know a lot of people who "season" food by pulling out their pepper shaker, which was filled, not too recently, with ground pepper from a little can (or a giant Costco bottle). It's tasteless. Freshly ground pepper is so easy. We've gotten in the habit of ordering fresh spices at least annually from Penzeys. The quality is fabulous and we save money. I never buy spices at the grocery store anymore.

This is good news. But please, col klink, only tourists call it Pike's Market. (It is not, however, only for tourists; I just got back from buying cheese at DeLaurenti and cauliflower from one of the produce stands. Also, the Creamery is having an International Butter Tasting benefit on 12/13, $5, from 5-8 p.m. I'd go if I wasn't already occupied that day.)