LaNiña

What "Jewish" chicken soup recipe takes "days?"

Why do you say "real" Indian cooking is complex and time-consuming? There are lots and lots of very real Indian dishes that are neither.

Capibara seems to be a Venezuelan specialty, from what I can find. So now we have to find Venezuelan restaurants...

Yep, that's what they looked like.

Oh, be afraid, be very afraid

Well, it is Park Slope, after all. We do have *some* standards.

Hey, they don't call it Park Slope for nothin'

Just to be clear: this was guinea pig. Squeak squeak.

The organ means were very intense, especially the liver. Dark tasting, if that makes sense. The heart, and kidneys were immediately recognizable to me because of the texture - similar to heart and kidneys of other animals I've eaten (sheep, pig, etc). The eyeballs were the same texture as the sheep's eyeballs I've eaten recently, and Wilfrid agreed. Oh, Wilfrid and I drank rose, not the red.

The meat was incredibly salty. We asked whether or not it had been marinated or anything, and they said no, but that's hard to believe. I liked the texture of the meat, and the flavor of the offal was quite strong. The meat itself was fairly gamey, similar to the squirrel I had at St. John's in London a few months ago - gamier and darker than rabbit. Wilfrid said it was a bit like wild rabbit, which I don't think I've ever had, at least knowingly - I think most of the rabbit we eat is raised rabbit. The skin was quite chewy and thick, reminiscent of pork skin. The thinner parts, like near the legs, and toward the head, were a bit like cracklings. Note: Cabby wouldn't even eat a potato because the cuy had *touched* it.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe FG was being s-a-r-c-a-s-t-i-c.

Oy. Better eat a lot of chicken fat, too, while I'm at it.

Call me silly, but I'm fairly sure that Tommy understood the words.

I think the point was that alcohol is damaging to one's health. That's what was meant by "poison." So it seems a bit absurd to banish one poison in a place where the goal is to consume another poison.

I completely agree with you, Matt.

I don't smoke cigarettes, but I think the extension is a bad thing. I do wish the current laws were enforced better, but I think smoking shouldn't be banned completely. I smoke a cigar now and then, I'd like to be able to do that inside. As long as I have the ability to eat without smoke nearby, I think the smokers should be able to smoke in a separate area.

Matt Zito is most certainly an egulleteer ...

ha ha ha

I guess it's the olive flavor that I feel does the overpowering, you're right. I'll use non-olive oil.

When I bought yesterday, he was right outside to the northern entrance to the subway, across the street from Union Square Wines.

He told me that when you cook them, they color everything, like beets do. He suggested cooking them with the little baby yellow squash he was selling...

Yesterday at the Union Square greenmarket I bought red amaranth. Mostly because it's so gorgeous to look at. I brough it to Ali's and he used it in a salad I had, and he said he would cook the rest today but he didn't know how yet. I had never seen this "green" before - I loved the texture and the flavor. So, everybody, what interesting greens do you love, and how do you use them? (My love of mache is well known).

I hear he even dons a tux and hair piece and belts out a mean version of "Fly Me to the Moon." He does bear a striking resemblance to Elvis. A little "Jailhouse Rock" might be in order.

i'd pay good money to see tommy do karaoke.

Two rice "secrets" that I use. For regular white rice, I do it like pasta. Just boil a big pot of water, and throw the rice in, leave it uncovered, let is boil, taste if after 10 minutes (rice can vary a lot), cook it some more if necessary, drain it in a colander when it's ready...pretty foolproof. For basmati, I rinse the rice as usual, then parboil it for 5 minutes in boiling water, then drain, but not too too thoroughly. Put it in a heavy pot, put foil over the top and crinkle, and then the lid, and bake in a pre-heated slow oven (300 works fine) for at least 45 minutes, but longer is okay too, I've found. I usually add a little oil or some butter. And some spices if that's what I'm wanting (coriander seeds, peppercorns, cardamon, kalonji, etc)