LaNiña

I'm going... Union Square Wines Announcements RIOJA’S FINEST vs. GREAT SPANISH CHEESES Do not miss an incredible match featuring tasty treats for the tooth & palate from the heart of Iberia! Wednesday, August 28th, 2002 at 7.00PM The Salon @ Union Square Wines Come celebrate the final event in our summer VIP/Sitdown Tasting Program on Wed 8/28. Special guests Rick Pitcher (Bolo Restaurant) and Anthony Mardach (Craft Restaurant/Craftbar) will be on hand as we savor half-a-dozen spectacular wines from Rioja expertly paired with some of Spain’s finest cheeses. The 48 spots for this event will sell out quickly. A $20 cover charge is refundable against any in-store purchase the night of the event. Wine highlights are Torre Muga 1996, Remelluri 1999, the 96-point rated 1998 Remirez de Ganuza & more…cheeses include Monte Nebro, Torta de Casar, aged Mahon & Manchego, plus more… AGAIN…To avoid disappointment, make your reservation ASAP…please! (Call Amy at 212.675.8100)

Thanks. I'll even buy you a Cubano

Vinexpo is announced: http://www.vinexpo.com/ I have to go. Which fine person will allow me to use their professional affiliation to get a badge? I'll even wash dishes to make it legit.

I loved the halibut, and the crust was good. Wouldn't it have been interesting if they had used tomato seeds as a crust?

What did she eat?

Lunch today at Fleur de Sel was underwhelming. First off, it took forever to get water, despite asking several times, bread didn't come until the food arrived, and we had to ask twice for more butter. They were nice enough to substitute a fish on the $20.02 menu for my friend - he keeps somewhat kosher, and neither monkfish nor skate is kosher, I learned today - they made a regular portion dish of the cold poached trout appetizer off the regular menu for him, a nice accomodation. But service in general was lousy - haphazard, no coordination, impossible to get attention. I started with chilled gulf shrimp in a chamomile vinaigrette with market tomatoes. Shrimp was too fishy and overcooked and rubbery. The tomatoes were lousy - and I don't mean as compared to Tim Stark's tomatoes - I mean just plain lousy. I kept thinking to tell them yo, walk 3 blocks and buy some decent tomatoes... My main course was veal tenderloin with sweetbread ravioli, wilted spinach, in a madeira sauce. The veal was overcooked, but I liked the ravioli and the sauce was right on the money. Sorbets for dessert were okay (mango, passionfruit, rasberry), nothing special, and can't compare to the sorbets at AZ, which I still think are the best I've had in recent memory. Nice glass of white wine - Corbieres, Domaine Laillenc Sante Marie 'Pas des Loves" 2001. Fullbodied, nice sweetish long finish, really liked it. I'm told that I need to go at dinner - but why?

And I had a glass of muscato d'asti at the end, which was lovely. As was the company...and oh, the cheeses... Jaybee is right. It must be done not too infrequently. It fills a need that I forget I even have until those cheeses appear in front of me...and then I think - what took me so long? And I agree, to eat this way at Artisanal is really nice - there's never anybody eating in the bar area at lunch, it's a bit more casual, and it's a lot quieter than the main part of the dining room.

I had a grand time. I was delighted with the service - everyone could not possibly have been nicer. I was so glad to meet Stefany, Toby, Jordyn, and Bux in person. My companion and I ordered steamed foie gras in addition to the menu, and Mike ignored the request and made a special foie gras dish - slices of white nectarine, pistachios, port (I think) reduction sauce, sauteed foie gras - it was marvelous. And they gave us glasses of madeira to accompany it. This morning I visited Toby and bought glorious tomatoes, and lo and behold, Dan and Mike were there - nice to be able to thank them again. Toby pointed out somebody buying for Lupa, where I'm dining next week, so that was a kick, too. Apparently I missed both Liza and Cabby this morning...

peanut butter, good whole grain bread, apricot jam, plenty of lactaid milk... ...or good white bread sliced, mayo, a big juicy slicing tomato...and diet coke.

I had another Cubano at Havana Chelsea today, but this time I got the regular one, not the "especial," and I liked it much better. Yum. I've heard the Cubano at Havana Central is good, but I haven't had it yet. Too bad you're coming tomorrow, when I already have lunch plans. These places are all just a couple of blocks from my office.

I went to a wine tasting some weeks ago and had, among some other really good South African wines, a Clos Malverne Pinotage Reserve, which I liked a great deal. My tasting notes: big wine, plum color with ripe berry tastes, somewhat spicey, full-bodied, mouthy, a bit of vanilla in there. Also had a Beyerskloof Pinotage which I enjoyed, but not as interesting as the other - my tasting notes just say medium bodied, sweet berries, some oak, good value.

SL = Sherry Lehmann

My favorite fatoush salad is at Waterfalls Cafe, on Atlantic Avenue between Clinton- Henry. And it' s a wonderful little (Syrian) family owned and run place - BYO, inexpensive, and good food.

I can't speak for anyone else, nor will I attempt to. Lots of people are nuts, about lots of things. I have some extremely hypochondriacal friends...if they told me they had a food allergy, no way would I believe them. But I don't know what to say about the statistical disconnect. I can only tell you that my lactose intolerance is real and it's physical. And the couple of people I do know with food allergies (nuts, fruits), have terribly physical reactions if they eat those things.

The Batali piece, and the Fruit Detective piece are the ones I most enjoyed.

Here's how real lactose intolerance works: I drink a glass of milk, or eat a bowl of ice cream - one hour later, or sometimes less, big trouble. It's that simple. If I take a bunch of lactaids, it helps a lot, but not completely. And I know several people who have the same reaction. I know a couple of people with really severe food allergies. They eat the food (certain nuts, certain fruits, for example), then: hives, itching, fever, swelling... ...none of the above are anything but very real.

FG, read this particular issue, although I agree about the New Yorker in general. It's all about food, and some is worthwhile. I really enjoyed the piece about the "Fruit Detective," and the Batali piece was at the very least, informative.

hey....respect mah authoritay, why don'tcha??? LOL....hilarious.

well, I *am* elegant and fingerable, after all.... HA!!!!! (jeez, my mother lurks here)

I am your hero... http://foodandwine.com/invoke.cfm?objectID...2B90002B3309983

Yeah, I saw that too. Must be Food & Wine I think. Elegant and fingerable - what could be bad?

http://www.nycosh.org/NYC_Smoke-Free_Air_Act.htm

15 feet?

or Autobahn, even Spelling laws, now there's a thought.

I stand at the ready. Ha - the best would be if somebody else asked one of Cabby's questions and *they* win the best question prize...