Holly Moore

I didn't. Thanks. Good for the Inquirer.

While purchasing another pie yesterday at the Headhouse Market, I asked the pie man if the chicken pie would be available in the Philadelphia area after the market closed of the season. He said they were talking with a couple of markets and that it was very possible one or more markets would be offering the pie. No details as to whom.

Another month of legal maneuverings and Rick's Steaks is still going strong despite the Reading Terminal Market Board's attempted eviction of Rick's Steaks, a good tenant for 25 years, at the end of its lease for no other reason than because they could. Still no answer to how much of the Reading Terminal Market's funds the board is squandering on high powered and very expensive Attorney Sprague's legal fees for a simple landlord tenant dispute. All it takes to end this is for the Board to get over its bruised egos and give Rick's Steaks a new lease - the same lease they are offering everyone else. Either Rick's signs or he doesn't. Either way it's over and no more of the market's funds will be wasted on a needless legal fiasco.

Today's lesson, counting to three in French. Un, duex, trois. That's trois medium count shrimp on my shrimp and grits brunch entree today at Coquette. I seriously can't think of any other time I have been served only three medium sized shrimp in a shrimp entree. The shrimp and grits goes for $12. The shrimp are served on a bed of cheese grits. The cheese grits are really good - and reasonably priced as a side - $4. I paid an extra $8 for three medium shrimp.

Perhaps instead of charging for corkage, with all the potential cameras being toted, Snack Bar would do better with a flashage fee.

The pen is more powerful than the sword, and the video editor is more powerful than both, combined. He, along with the producer and director, declares what is to be "reality." Acknowledging that the complaint is but one side of the story, if there is any truth in the statements that Hyde had no responsibility for the day to day operation of the restaurant, and rather was more of a booking agent than anything else, then Kitchen Nightmares did a major and unfair hatchet job on Hyde. As to the restaurant, assuming there is no central casting department for cockroaches, the kitchen was indeed a disaster area. If the restaurant is still open, is there a stalwart New York eGulleter willing to risk passing in harm's way to dine at the restaurant and report on the conditions encountered?

What can I say. My mom was a great cook but when it came to piping hot chicken pot pies for the family, Swanson's or Myer's it was. At the Headhouse Square Farmer's Market this past Sunday I picked up a Griggstown Quail Farm's chicken potpie. One of the large ones - $17. I had been eying them since my first visit to the market. Rick Nichols' Sunday Inquirer Column nudged me into action. I baked it off a couple of nights ago. Nothing to do prep wise. No foil around the edge of the crust. No brushing with butter or milk. Just plop it on a baking sheet and into a 400 degree oven for a little over an hour. It was fantastic - incredible aroma, crisp flaky crust (that had to be lard based but Rick Nichols says isn't), packed solid inside. What surprised me was no creamy gravy, just an intense flavor of chicken stock. Big chunks of Griggstown reared chicken along with whatever happens to be growing in their vegetable patch. Best frozen food I have ever cooked. I don't see how anything of that quality level can survive a freezer, but the Griggstown chicken pie flourishes. Leftover chicken pie tastes almost as good zapped in the microwave a couple of days later. I'm seeing it on my shopping list every Sunday.

I forgot to add that, for no apparent reason and just after the second commercial break, Ramsay took off his shirt and, looking ever so earnest, changed into a chef's jacket.

He yelled at Larry King, calling him incompetent for dangling a participle, which caused Larry to cry. Then he threw a glass of water at Larry King because the water was luke warm, and finally, losing all patience with Larry, Ramsay sent him home with 10 minutes remaining in the show.

With the cheeses, I assume it is ok to ask the server to select an assortment for you? Or is this merely cowardice on my part or an obvious attempt to hide my ignorance of fine cheeses other than I know I like them all?

Dave Gracer, not a member of eGullet, has asked me to pass on this information concerning water bugs:

Loveless is fairly convenient to I-40. From their website: But I still might head for Rotier's and wash down that cheeseburger with one of their off-the-menu milk shakes.

A reaction I expected, perhaps. But I am more intrigued that there is someone out there who is filleting water bugs... and who also cares about flavor pairings and presentation.

If anyone is forming a group sans wine toting requirement, I'm interested

This is a canape that will be served at "Food For Thought", a fund raising event coming up in Providence RI. Picture by David Winthrop The protein is served atop a bed of watermelon, accompanied by a slice of apple, under the shade of a cocktail umbrella. The source of the protein - Sunrise Land Shrimp. The protein: Loin of Water Bug

Major kudos to anyone who comes up with a successful pairing for this course.

I reread the announcement - no wine pairings menu is mentioned. As Tim Dolan previously pointed out, there should be. Hard to believe that Snack Bar would not put together a pairings menu for the dinner. Edited to add: Semi-simultaneously posted with HD73's post.

A menu like this - most likely the same thought will go into their wine pairings as the food items. Best to savor the whole experience as Snack Bar intends.

Pretty much how I manage my life.

Kinda cool the way Ramsay made Peter the bully into his bitch. That seemed to be the point of last night's episode. Back when Hell's Kitchen first aired I was pretty vocal in my lack of respect for Ramsay. Then I saw some of the BBC's Kitchen Nightmare episodes and came to respect the guy. One episode does not an entire series make. I'm hoping more of what was good about the BBC version starts to come through on the Fox version. Then again, Fox is Fox.

Top of mind New York dog for me is Nathans - grilled with brown mustard and relish. Second top of mind is a Sabrett's dirty water dog, with mustard and that redish gloppy onion stuff.

Before selling Le Ferme de Mon Pere, Marc Veyrat would pair breads with courses. Kind of neat, but a lot of bread.

As good a way as any to boost column readership. It is not cheesesteaks or pork sandwiches. It is cheesesteaks and pork sandwiches. Both can be great sandwiches and often are. This whole "icky cheesesteak served by mean person" thing is getting rather tiresome. If one can not handle the wiz and the attitude, go home and make a bologna and mayonaise sandwich on Wonder Bread.

Not a professional chef but as a former restaurant owner I had to suffer <G> a few of them. My interpretation of "food tanking" is that it could be a symptom that the chef has burned out. Seems to happen a lot. Restaurant kitchens create all types of stress. Best cure I've seen: Philadelphia and most cities now have schools, everything from high school, two year programs, trade certificate programs, four year programs, and even inmate work programs to teach the culinary arts. During the period I taught business at the Philadelphia Restaurant School, many of the chef instructors left the industry. They needed to get away from the daily grind. After spending a few years with culinary students, especially where the students are eager to learn, most of the chef instructors were rejuvenated and ready again to return to running a kitchen. There is no better way to rekindle interest in / love of one's vocation than to teach / mentor others who share your previous enthusiasm.

Were a few gaps in the line of stands this past week. Hoping it was just a seasonal winding down. But all my favorites were still there.