reesek
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Posts posted by reesek
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justin,
i think your reviews make for exceptional reading, and i really appreciate your ratings. maybe it's my distance from the NY dining scene, but i find it refreshing that your scale is based upon your experience and expectations, rather than held to a standard created by someone else. for whatever it may be worth, your reviews have put le bernardin on the top of my NY wishlist. i find your style unpretentious and clear - i know exactly where you stand and why, and i know what you're looking for at each restaurant. thank you and best of luck!
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interesting...eden - where do you live?
we had the salumi primo last night from the WS pagliacci. after the comments on this thread i too expected a lot of grease, but there was nothing notable...clean box, no pooling or suspicious "juices". i had thought that in addition to the salami, the peppers might add to the oilyness (since they come in oil) but ours were well drained and prepped. as a bonus, the crust was thinner than usual and perfectly golden. 10 minutes in a hot oven on a hot stone and it was lovely.
i do agree with anita about the fennel. the flavor is not that strong (i love fennel so that wasn't necessarily good for me) though i do think it adds a tiny note of sweetness. and while ours was not oily - it was rich. 2 slices for dinner is not normally enough to satisfy me, but i was just fine last night.
terrific pizza.
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thanks wendy...now i just have to find someone who wants 50oz of chocolate chips.
the timing problem is that i'm not attending - just catering the party. i won't be there between 9-10. as such, i didn't suggest or recommend fondue - the client wanted it.
re:setting up...sorry if i was unclear - i'm hoping to figure out how to keep it liquid.
assuming i get coverture, add appropriate amounts of hot cream/booze/corn syrup i will have a lovely smooth ganache...which then gets miraculously transported to the client's house - BUT - will it stay liquid (if maybe a little cooler than optimal) at room temp for a couple of hours? i was planning to use a votive instead of sterno - i can tell the client to light it when he wants fondue...i'll leave extra with him - thanks for the portioning advice.
aidensnd i thought about caramels...i'd love that flavor-wise, but decided that the wrapping/unwrapping and stickiness factor was one i didn't want to deal with.
they'll be dipping marshmallows, angel food cake, strawberries, milano cookies, fuji apples, dried apricots and bananas. probably enough junk there...
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<bump>
i'm making chocolate fondue for a party on saturday...this thread has been invaluable. i'm not attending the party in question and think it's safe to assume the host can follow detailed, but likely not complicated instructions. my one concern is temperature - my guess is that the fondue will need to be set up a couple of hours in advance of it being eaten. (i'm making a small menu of dips and spreads - this is the only sweet one...party starts at 8 so my bet is that it won't really be eaten until 10 or so).
number of guest - 20 to 25 and i'm thinking 1-2 ounces per person...does that seem skimpy?
malawry - how did the heating work out for you? if i add some corn syrup (how much?) to the mix will it stay more liquid? would chocolate chips be "better" to use than bar/bulk chocolate because they stay a little softer once melted?
any advice appreciated.
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my standards are riffs on some of what's above - forgive what may be overlap:
penne with tomato, ricotta and mint.
simple tomato sauce - slkinsey's would be perfect - mine is more complicated. add chopped mint just before service. toss with penne and top with small spoonfuls of ricotta. garnish with lemon zest and pecorino. the cheese melts in, thickening the sauce but retains a cool temp. with the mint it's very springlike and a snap to make.
penne or farfalle with prawns, garlic, arugula and chili flakes. saute prawns in lots of garlicky olive oil with chili flakes. remove, deglaze with wine or vodka add cream if you like, let it reduce a bit, toss in arugula to wilt, toss with pasta and add back prawns at the last second.
this last can be served over pasta or on it's own, and uses nearly all pantry ingredients that are relatively small/easy to store.
toast a handful of pinenuts - remove and reserve. start as though for putanesca (oil, flakes, garlic, anchovy) add a bunch of (hearty) fresh greens (i've done this with kale, collards (chiffonaded) curly endive...etc) to wilt - splash of wine, add pinenuts, a handful of raisins (golden are best) and a handful of chopped kalamatas. as a pasta topping - i'd chop all the greens - as a warm salad or meal with cornbread i don't chop them. top with a sprinkle of parm.
final one - angel hair, smoked salmon, goat cheese lumps and dill or tarragon.
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WS (admiral across from metropolitan market) has them too. haven't had them...but heard positive reports from others.
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chufi!
excellent blogging so far - i'm wholly entranced.
one of my fondest amsterdam food memories was at a little israeli falafel shop. the other was at a very local bar filled with old men who sang to me.
thank you for taking the time to invite us into your life for a week. i'll be waiting anxiously for updates!
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the one thing we noticed (sat in one of the booths in the center) was that they're pretty skinny for 2 per side. my (small-ish) colleague sharing the bench with me and i (no kate moss, no camryn manheim) felt a bit squished. i think if i'd been sharing the side with my boyfriend, it would have felt cozy - but with people from work it felt small. we kept thinking...is this a hint?
looks like others may have made the same comments- this from TD's Fresh Sheet today:
"La-La-La-La Lola
One of the most common questions asked in our restaurants is "Can we have a booth?". We know they're cozy. We know they're intimate. And now the booths at Lola are spacious! We've recently had them rebuilt to accommodate any group of family or friends. Also new at Lola - Wireless Internet. It's the perfect breakfast pit stop on your way to the office. You can eat our pork belly & octopus (Tom's favorite) and get some work done, or sit and read the paper over coffee and a pastry. On your way out, be sure to grab a Lola Breakfast Card. If we see you often enough, we'll start picking up your tab! "
behold my awesome power.
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well, our glasses are those big, massive globes...so 2 glasses of wine is technically correct - but it also happens to be 1/2 bottle. pretty much every night. weekends could be more or less. we're equal opportunity.
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Andrea, thank you for sharing your recipe and allowing me to play with it.
I had fresh figs, and I used fresh thyme instead of dried mint, so I turned this into Fig-Port Ice Cream with Honey and Thyme. I did triple the amount of milk and egg, since I have a quart size ice cream maker.
Before I go further I will mention that if anybody is so inclined, it would be great for someone else to make this and make modifications in order to refine this "recipe." It was too sweet for me. Russ liked the sweetness, but thought that I should have left it with the mint instead of thyme, and tried using fresh mint. I think that if I had gotten the sweetness right, and maybe used a smaller amount of figs, the thyme is the way to go. Another thing is that the honey is so thick, I have no idea how close to the amount I put in. How in the world do you measure that accurately? So here's what I did. Oh, and Andrea, I did properly scold the milk mixture... "Bad Milk!" LOL...
6 ounces fresh figs
4 tablespoons Port
3 cups whole milk
2 large sprigs fresh thyme
3 to 4 tablespoons thyme honey (or any wildflower honey)
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Wash the figs and cut off the steam ends. Cut into quarters, and place them in a small saucepan. Add the Port and cook over medium low heat, stirring often, about 20 minutes, until tender. The figs will absorb the Port. Cool, and then coarsely chop the figs and Port in a mini food processor. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan mix the honey into the milk, add the thyme sprigs, and slowly cook the mixture until hot and almost boiling. Remove from heat, and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Strain, and return to the saucepan.
Beat together the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk some of the milk mixture into the egg mixture, and then add the two mixtures together in the saucepan. Cook gently over medium heat, stirring, until just short of boiling and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in figs and Port. Reheat briefly if needed to restore thickness.
Chill for several hours, preferably overnight. Process in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.
...Suggestions? Any takers on playing some more with the fresh fig version?
oh i've been waiting for this photo!!
looks luscious.for suggestions - maybe brown (instead of granulated sugar) and just a bit? i like the idea of using the same herb (thyme) as your honey...is the honey very thymey? this sounds wonderful...tho i'm not a big port fan. can you tell me about the port flavor? wonder if i could use an ice wine instead...
oh - and for honey measuring...you can oil your spoon which helps get the honey off a little easier. i think i might tweak to 4 T of honey and just use 2T of sugar. i usually use 2C whole milk and then stir in a cup of ice cold cream at the end. am i alone, or is there another reason (like health) that you opted not to do that? how was the texture?
edited for more portly questioning and again for the following:
i love to add truffle honey to manchego cheese and serve with dates or fresh figs and marcona almonds. i will look for thyme honey!
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i took the first of the series of bread classes with rob. he went for me though, and i don't think he'll go to another class. if i didn't feel awkward going alone on a friday night, i almost certainly would have done friday's truffle class. i thought the bread class was well executed, and very helpful - as part of a larger series, i'm sure it would have been even better. my classmates included one guy who monopolized conversations and actually grabbed things / space away from other people. a real charmer. the rest of the class (maybe a total of 14 - it was very full) we took home a proofing loaf each.
i would definitely take guest list classes again...a friend of mine tried to organize a private class (which they do depending on schedule availability) but she was too slow to organize it.
i've done a couple of other local classes - and one from DiscoverU (never again!) and think chef gabriel is the best instructor with the best set-up that i've seen.
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wow. nice weekend everyone!
yesterday i made spaghetti and meatballs. (it was closer to angel hair - my crank has 2 settings for cut pasta - angel hair and fetuccine.)
my meatballs (first try - not bad!) were beef and spicy bulk pork sausage. a mashed milky bread piece per marcella that didn't really work for me...i'd mix in some bread crumbs next time) an egg, rosemary, sage, thyme and parsley from the garden and garlic and onion minced up. i browned and then simmered them in a quick sauce made with a rare unfinished bottle of wine, tomato puree and lots of chili flakes. it was pretty good with the flavorful meat balls. pasta was sticky though. not fun to separate a million pieces of angel hair pasta.
i also braised a picnic shoulder in chicken stock & orange with lots of jalepenos, onions, garlic, fennel & chipotle. tonight i'll fry some of the meat, simmer some with more chipotle/adobe and we'll have tacos.
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i love this topic.
i too am in a sodexho building but rarely eat in the (unsegregated and not-unpleasant) cafeteria. i almost always eat at my desk. usually a salad from the salad bar, soup or a sandwich. i bring in leftovers or a packed lunch from home once or twice a week. often curry...
but no one here seems to mind. lots of ethnic cuisine gets heated here. no stinky fish that i've ever noticed though...and there's a very detailed sign next to the microwave instructing people on proper popcorn technique. -
had dinner at celtic swell on friday. very family oriented place...packed at 8pm, we got the last table.
food was not great, but ok. i had bangers & mash with a side of putridly grey over-boiled broccoli and rob had shepherd's pie.
the mash was totally unseasoned and the salad oddly (and under) dressed. rob (the brit) thought it all very authentic...but agreed that that wasn't really a compliment. would return for a pint after a walk on the beach in winter and maybe a snack, but not for meal.
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mackerel and yellowtail for sushi or "collar" eating. pickled herring is also very good.
white spanish anchovies in vinegar (boquerones) i'm obsessed.
cooking favorites - albacore, wild king salmon, sturgeon & halibut.
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Tiny salad of mesclun with aioli on large shrimp chips.
U10 grilled shrimp with a tomto water, tomato concasse, lime zest, and chile dipping sauce.
Baked potato halves scooped and restuffed with mashers with a shrimp and lobster cream incorporated, topped with a few sprigs of dill.
Monkfish medallions (poached in butter) with haricot verts and roasted lemon sauce.
Deep-fried shrimp heads and legs in a baby watercress salad.
Cheese course (sheep's milk cheeses) with toast points.
edit:
Oops, spaghetttti. Ha ha.
this menu actually turns me on.
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I remember thinking at the time, if I do this again, I will eat.
that is the funniest thing i've read all day. i love your priorities, susan!
(not married, but definitely ready to plan the menu.
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Thanks, peanutgirl. I added more fish sauce and more lime juice (although I had used all of my fresh limes and had to resort to lime juice from a bottle for the additional juice). The flavor was definitely improved, but still not just right. Perhaps I need to try a different recipe.
patti,
your recipe looks to me like there's a heck of a lot of coconut milk. there's also no sugar and no chilis.
if you still have some left, i'd add a bit of sugar (i would have added about 1tsp to the whole pot) and a big squeeze of sriracha, or some chopped bird chilis or something with heat - chopped serranos even. if you're sensetive to heat - don't add much, maybe take one or 2 thai peppers and slice them in half. you can fish them out later.
i like to think about thai food as that balance between salty (fish sauce) sour (lime, lemograss,) sweet (sugar) & hot (chilis)
next time, try it first with half that amount of coconut milk. the milk tones down the flavors...so you need to make sure you're stepping up the rest of the spicing.
when my thai doesn't taste quite right - it's always one of those 4 that's missing.
good luck!
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mmm! i love braised greens!
last night i larbed some left over flank steak. stretched the measly meat portion with a roasted portobello mushroom. (btw - can anyone tell me if it's portobello, portabella or portabello? google and dictionary.com are less than helpful).
served the super spicy larb with lots of lettuce and a side of brown bread, and sliced manchego and red pear. red table wine.
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I've been trying to duplicate their lemon ice cream. The stuff I'm making is good, but not the same.
kiliki - how are you going after the mousse-like texture? i've been thinking about mixing whipped cream and fresh lemon curd and freezing that in a loaf pan, but am worried that it will freeze too hard. the ethereal mouth-feel is what i like best about the ice cream. would you add a stabilizer? gelatin??
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For our entrees we shared two dishes of dal makhani ($8.95 per) and two of butter chicken ($12.50 per). ... But it was still odd in that there seemed to be some legume other than lentils mixed in there...something larger like a red bean?? I dunno.
hey jenny,
a place i used to go in chicago (moti mahal) also put kidney beans (or some such larger, red bean) in with the lentils in their dal makhani. was the dish creamy, as though some of the lentils had been pureed? was there something else too...maybe like slivered almonds or something crunchy...?
sorry to stalk your lentils...
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Last night: Nothing actually, too busy looking at my sisters brand new baby!
congrats auntie!
i made the tastiest carrot cupcake recipe (frosted carrot muffin). inspired by alton brown's carrot cake recipe. people were hoarding them!
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judith - that sandwich is porn.
jinmyo - thanks for the pancake tips...i love the crunch of the rice flour. i think i could get it crunchier than my friend. her pan sucked. thin and crappy.
well, i'm off to find purveyors of fermenting guts before whom i shall prostrate myself.
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a black and white cookie from Specialties. (chocolate cookie with white chocolate chips) all their cookies are very good if you like big, buttery underbaked cookies.
and i do
where to buy andouille sausage in Seattle
in Pacific Northwest & Alaska: Cooking & Baking
Posted
eden,
you can get it at the sausage place in pike place market for sure. i've also seen it packaged at metropolitan market, so it may be more common than you think.
i bet the meat market on the top of queen anne (A&J?) has it - and isn't there a place called Cascioppio brothers in ballard that makes sausage?