Holly Moore

I haven't been there for a while. Where's Hot Dog John when we need him?

If chef yells at me one more time it won't be tomatoes that I'll be stuffing with tuna salad.

Ah, but it's pronounced, SHEEK-alicious. Maybe that'll help. Or not. Sheek-alicious. Aha, Middle Eastern Food. I should have said whenever I read the name.

I still think fried chicken whenever I hear the name.

Damn these plastic gloves! My tuna salad just doesn't taste the same since they made me start wearing them. OR Are you sure this is how Alice Waters started?

They do a decent job frying fish and seafood at Bowen's too, but you only get into the oyster room if you're ordering oysters. Then again, just go for the ambience.

It's hard to imagine this taking off in any place other than New York.

Most facilities I'm familiar with only permit packages ordered through an authorized third party. You order food from their catalog, pay for it, and they send it to the inmate. Done for security reasons. Nothing very interesting. Or you can deposit money in the inmate's commissary account.

Can't be sure until a date is announced, but sounds like a good time to me.

Hooray Pennsylvania.

Home again in the US of A. Ate rather well once I escaped Aldershot. I struck out on my own for roast beef and yorkshire pudding, choosing Rules, the oldest restaurant in London. I did rather well. A question, what do genuine Brits think of Rules? Is it a respected museum of a restaurant serving up well prepared, traditional British high dining fare or is it more aimed at luring in London tourists and their pounds sterling? I took it to be the former, but Rules had it's fair share of tourist when I was there. As it happened, on the way home, Virgin Atlantic was also serving roast beef with yorkshire pudding in its tourist cabin. Rules was better, but Virgin Atlantic did quite well by airline standards. I'll be writing more about my trip once I de-jet-lag.

1. What is the oldest, continuously running restaurant in New York City? 2. Has its status as oldest led to it evolving into a tourist trap sort of place or is it still a staple for locals? 3. Is its menu traditional - what it was 50 years ago - or has it been forced to follow culinary trends?

The problem with using a basic blender to make shakes is that it is too eash to over blend, too hard to control. Breaks down the thickness. I much prefer a milk shake blender which leaves the occasional lumps. A great shake is coffee ice cream and chocolate syrup. Have never had espresso handy, but suspect that a shot of espresso would make it even better. Any milkshake is improved by the addition of a banana. Someone mentioned the warm weather. While I enjoy shakes in any season, I've never found a milkshake to be thirst quenching. I suspect it is the butter fat. Cream is a wonderful idea. I shall be trying same shortly.

I think it was Phyllis Richmond (pardn spelling) of the Washington post that coined the term. Quickly picked up by Elaine Tait of the Philadelphia Inquirer. If I were to credit one restaurateur for the Renaisance it would be Steven Poses - with both the old, original Frog (where Monk's is now) and the Commissary. However, I will always remain pissed at Poses for over-extending the commissary and screwing up one of the finest restaurant concepts I've ever seen. At the time Neil just owned the Fishmarket. It was extremely successful and a major player within the Renaisance, but no more so than many others. As to the Renaisance, there were a bunch of restaurateurs during that time, including me. Restaurants were the focus of Philadelphia. There were almost weekly events - various contests, festivals, something going on that made us a true community. I haven't seen it here since nor anywhere else. It was the best of times for Philadelphia Restaurants - not just sales and such, but vigor.

Having worked a contest it is my understanding that it is for insurance and local health law reasons that competitors are not permitted to sell to the public. Also the competitors, dispite the beer and frequent jocularity, are quite focused and would be prefered to be left alone by civilians. As to Jack, Mr. Beard not only allowed Jack within, he also invited him back on a number of occasions. I'm not sure mass production in a concession situation such as I assume went on over the contest is the best basis on which to judge barbecue (talking about vendors, not competitors). I do know Jack has won a number of BBQ competitions, including at least a couple way deep in the south.

Eating my words and my mushy peas. The waitress at the S&M Cafe promised me theirs were the best she has ever tasted. How could I say no. They came piping hot with a pat of butter melting atop. And they were very, very good, as was everything else at the S&M Cafe. My only complaint was playing 20 questions with my waitress. I was there for sausage and mashed, she wanted to know which sausages (suffolk style and lamb), how many, what kind of potato (bubble and squeek for me) and which gravy (red onion). Not really complaining. I liked the approach. And the meal.

OK, I'll give the peas one more try and thanks for the heads up on Simpsons. I think this is discussed earlier in the thread, but I have an asterisk for the request. I find myself without jacket and tie. So where might I head for roast beef and yorkshire pudding attired in slacks and a casual shirt? The Golden Hind had mushy peas on the menu. I just was craving fresh green vegetables.

So far the trip is going quite nicely. The business part is over and the eating part has begun. My experiences so far: Learning British peas are an acquired taste not worth acquiring. Might be unfair. Only had them once at a hotel dining room in Aldershot. But can see no reason to pursue the subject. More like beans in texture than the good ol' American green pea. They are a nice bright green though. Had dinner last night at the Golden Hind, a London fish and chippery with first Italian and more recently Greek ownership. Dates back to the early 1900's. Excellent fish and chips, and available with a crisp, fresh greek salad on the side. I've come to miss green vegetables over the past few days, so this was a pleasure. Did the Ten Deadly Sins at Simpsons on the Strand this morning. Excellent. The Ten Deadly Sins: fried egg, bacon, sausage, liver, kidney, black pudding, grilled tomato, mushrooms, bubble (mashed potato for you Yanks) and fried toast. I believe I will head back tomorrow evening for my beef and Yorkshire pudding. I'm off to the S&M cafe for lunch today. Have told friends in the U.S. about this and left them wondering about any side interests I might have had. There is a different kind of S&M cafe in New York. But I'm limiting myself to sausage and mashed. Still trying to work up the courage for a plate of jellied eel. Maybe tomorrow lunch. Maybe not. Also had excellent Chinese in Aldershot. A place called Wings. Not enough time or stamina to eat myself through the entire list contained herein, but am doing my best. Thanks again for all the good advice.

Cure 81 is Hormel's premium ham. Used to be that each ham was certified and numbered. Don't know if that's still the case. Cure 81 would work for a Madison WI hoagie. but, Yo, not South Philly.

So what's your overall impression of the event? Up to other BBQ standards?

Of course you will. But as they say, "Teach a man to fish...." Not that I want to be taught. I have more fun blundering forth on my own. With the biscuits both red eye and rich man's gravy please.

Greetings All Have been overseas and away from an Internet connection so am catching up on this thread. (Was on an army base helping to film a documentry for the History Channel titled "We Can Make You Talk." This, one of my business ventures will explain Team Delta) Chad: I'll be hankering for some fried chicken when I return to the US of A, so buttermilk it will be. Garlic powder-cayene-salt rub sounds good too. Lyle: I doubt Mr. Claiborne had to cover the blemishes like I did. At the same time, there is very little that doesn't benefit from a blanket of pan gravy. Rachel: Others answered, but Mr. Claiborne requested lard and butter, and I knew what lard did for french fries. So lard and butter it was. Pogophiles: Good idea re the paper bag, but I didn't want to remove too much grease. Rachel again: Sitting in the car for an additional hour might have caused it to go sour, but I suspect it was old age. Maybe not. General Whole Foods Comment: I am not comfortable in healthy, organic environments. I always imagine some mother pointing me out to her child, "See, if you don't eat your tofu and bean sprouts you'll grow up looking like that man."

Thank you all. I just printed this out (24 pages) and will be working my way through it on the flight over, tomorrow. If additional inspiration strikes, keep on posting. I'll be checking in between meals.

This was not Chef Pierre’s first souffle. Nor was it his second, or his third. Not even his fourth souffle. Maybe his fifth souffle if one didn’t count the souffle he had helped his good friend Chef Jean-Claude prepare. But count it Chef Pierre did, declaring this souffle to be his sixth souffle, his finest souffle, a finer souffle than any chef in all of Paris had ever baked or ever would hope to bake. A wonderful, almost a magical souffle. The souffle by which all future souffles would forever be judged. And this, dear reader, is where our tale begins.

Warning: Johnny's hours aren't the most convenient. 4:30 AM to 3 PM, Monday thru Friday.