Kim WB

wow, great post. I can only share what was the case in Nanning, southern province of PRC, 2002. McDonalds was indeed thd premier location..on a weekend, the place woud be filled with balloons and a party atmosphere.., and taxi drivers would deposit lucky diners there...prices by conversion were about the same..meaning McD's was very expensive to most...anyway, the child we adopted from that province was nurtured by a foster family, and with the $$$ provided to her with our funds,( yes, we advocated for them after the adoption as well..she's a spectacular child, and her foster family deserves the credit) ... the eldest daughter took english lessons and was accepted into the McDonald's training program..this indeed was the epitome of her family's hopes and dreams...in my world, if my kid decided to make McD's her career,((weather my biological kid or my adopted kid) I'd be lamenting her $80k education...but there, the West is the future. Yikes... I've gotten off track. sorry. China is personal to me...hard to comment without some kind of social commentary!

hmmm.thought the kids were off limits...anyway, I agree...there are a small precentage of kids that dont't have ability to say no..keep them away fromn the BK's until they are conditioned properly. As far as me as a kid...anything goes. I think that by the time I was 12, I was smarter than my loving mother...not her fault, she was just who she was...I treid to make myself drink milk, etc....at age 13, I read scientific journals about skin...trying to avoidbreakouts..and learned about the correlation between diet and physical (dermitilogical) health.

corona with lemon. just finished sirloin burgers (not my favorite, I like fat) on the grill. Did the portobello recipe from cooks 2000? an old one..wrapped in foil. Kids had a "yesterday roasted" chicken ( brined, what a difference) on torpedo rolls, a gallon of mayo and some shredded lettuce...the fire faltered, they were hungry. so I fed them while SO determined the problem and fixed it..something about the underdraft on the grill...anyway, good burgers if you add greasy fried onions to compensate forhte 93% sirloion BS

Oh, God, the diet my mother kept herself on when she was pregnant with twins! She weighed ten pounds less than her supermodel weight after delivery. Marlboros and martinis. Many of us were carried to term on these. (Yes, I smoke. And I like martinis!) My mom was 17years old, 4 feet 10 inches tall, and 96 lbs. The doctor told her to " drink Milk, two full cups a day". So, whe would have a cup in the morning, then smoke cigarettes ( and smoke...whatever) and eat a few cookies or chips, waiting for her high school frineds to come over after school let out..then, she would spend the afternoon drinking vodka and tonic, or beer...then whatever dinner her and my father could cook..and a glass of milk before bed. And, later when my sister and I were pregnant, she was SO PROUD of how well she followed doctor's order's, and wondered why we were so "crazy" about caffeine, alcohol and such. " Just drink two glasses of milk" she insisted!

While in Southern China ( Nanning, Guanzhou), I had a variety of soups, usually quite spicy broths with some vegetables and slivers of meat. Soup was included in both meals that I shared with private families, and meals that I had in restaurants. Suprisingly, in Southern China, noodles were more prevelant than rice. In fact, it was only at more "western" style places that rice was available...noodles were most often the starch of choice.

absolutely...they haven't cleaned the grill grid since your last visit, hence the fine taste! Todd, ...the glass is always half EMPTY new poster....do you really think PPB is differnnt form any other beach? Does everything SUCK to you? IS there a beach, town or restarunt that you like? You've made a great first impression on disliking things, and you seem sharp..please, tell us what you LIKE. ...and, either you have not been in a Park Ave parking garage in a while, or you are exagerating...$6...at the inlet, before 11am. edited to add a host of smiley's, to show that I am not trying to be hard on you, but rather trying to get to your more positive side!

maggie, I enjoy your posts regularly...but that was REALLY a wierd article. Can't you do ..oranges..or something? At no time in the article, that I remember, did you acknowledge that you were evaluating on TASTE, not nutritional content...there are endlsess studies that show breast milk is superior..ah, I don't know, lately I've felt liket he old mother hen around here..but that article was weird, to me!

Yes, but because it wouldn't cost me anything. If they were gonna charge me an extra $10 to sit and watch the guy flip burgers, I wouldn't do it. pixel, sorry, am not familiar with what part of the country you are from..here in the NJ/NY region the chef's table are either competitive prix fix or no extra charge,,,is it much different in your neck of the woods?

Hell yeah. Especially in an inebriated state of mind, where somehow I find conversation about my grilled Taylor Pork roll to be the focus of every one in the room..seriously, yes..I studiously watch servers, busboys and any glimpse of the staff..and if given the option, would watch the kitchen as well..unless the temperment of the occassion did not merit that kind of aproach to dining...if , for example, its business or romance.

actually, there are many restaurants I have not had the opportunity to visit, quite a few that I have, and to most I am either ambivilant or enthusiastic...and Maize is , bar none, on the top of my list for worst restaurants ever visited. I would choose Chili's first...and yet, I respect your opinion and am curious about the chef...I was last here 7 months ago..lunch..total disaster..what is this guy's tenure?

I heard that it was a wonderful event...usually, there are 1/2 dozen dishes or tables that there is a crowd around, and then not as much demand for the others. I heard that last night's event was well balanced, with a diverse crowd and lines at almost every table...I suspect Nick really knows his market at the Alpine..its such a lovely club. I am attending a similiar event at Jasna Ploana at the end of the month, which is a Princeton area club...not any big name guests, and fewer selections, and supported by members...but for local area soup kitchens and food programs.

Worse: it's working. Publicists are now routinely telling their clients to add kitchen tables into their restaurant plans, and it's fast becoming standard operating procedure at even the mediocre-restaurant level. Steven, I agree with your assertion that it is becoming a marketing tool...but I just don't get the opening prequalification: Worse. In an industry that is difficult to turn a profit in, especailly in a city that is highly competitive, isn't marketing an acceptable tool to get people interested in your restaurant? Isn't it reasonable to assume that there is a market for not-as-serious-as you diners who still might enjoy the "show"? And theat, after the foodies come and go and come and go and then come, but less frequently, those tools, like a kitchen table, fill the seats and pay the bills? I get the impression that you feel that only the strongest restaurants should survive..but then you have lamented the closing of a place with a wonderful chef that didn't get the recognition or accolades, or diners, that he and the place deserved...I guess it's another thread..but what kind of marketing is acceptable, and what isn't? If Kitchen tables are a "gimmick", what are wine tasting dinners? Can a 2 star advertize in NYMag, but not a three? What about hiring media consultants, restaurant marketing and consulting firms... Where's the line drawn, in your opinion?

To clarify, most chef's table's are located int he kitchen, with a fairly unobstructed view of the goings-ons..but are contained, temperature controlled, decorated provate rooms..usually with a wall or two of glass, and a door that closes. I find it interesting that there are four posts on this thread form food writers, people who make their living under the asumption that there is a market of people that enjoy dining, cooking, and food enough to buy or seek out what they read..and yet don't understand the attraction of a chef's table? Simply put, the minions to whom you write for do not have the experience in kitchens that you might have..many diners have never been in a professional kitchen. Thery are interested in a way that, often, any layman might be intrigued to learn how things "work". (And yes, many people like to feel "special"...perhaps because they have the self esteem to feel that they deserve that feeling, but I'm not going to go there). 5 years ago, my son participated in a program at John Hopkins in Maryland, for really smart kids. ( Part of the reason I get to feel special!! ) We went to the aquarium in Baltimore, , but instead of just looking at the fish, we had a tour of the "feeding stations", the diver's area, the cleaning and filtration systems...did you know that the feeding system is entirely computerized, they press a button that releases food..but that the amount of food is regulated by the amount of UNeaten food in the tank, based on the PH's and stuff in the tank? This"behind the scenes" look made the trip memorable and special.

Life's not short, and being negative is an entertaining safety mechanism... not for grownups.

Man, it's like a little pork roll sub-culture, a veritable cottage industry of Jersey producers, marketing to ex-jerseyans throughout our fine nation...a fine country we live in, indeed!

Lately, instead of the rack, I've been buying the boneless loin...a favorite recipe is with a Moroccan spice rub..and the loin gives me no waste, quick cooking, and lots of surface area to work with. This is a favorite summer recipe, with a raita like cucumber side dish...so grilling is preferred..but I will broil them on low, about 5 min on one side, about 3 minutes the second side, for rare.

I mentioned this is the Chinese Soup thread...I made Corn Lemongrass soup, a version of Velvet Corn soup , from the Ming Tsai cookbook, Blue Ginger, which I rec'd for mothers day. I used the rather poor fresh corn that is avail in NJ..I think its FL corn...and some frozen South African lobster tails I had left over from a school function...and even with these less than great ingredients, it was a wonderful soup. Intense corn flavor...you make the base with the cobs..all in all, it was fun to make, easy, and delicious. I like the approachable tone of the Ming Tsai book...not to mention that he is VERY sexy, IMHO!

Jason, Ming Tsai has a great recipe for Velvet Corn Soup with Lobster ( I think crab is the traditional accompaniment) in his Blue Ginger cookbook. I made it last night, and it was great with frozen lobster tail and corn on the cob that's the stuff you get at this time of year..I can only imagine how good it must be with sweet in season corn and fresh shellfish.

There is one in New Orleans..have never eaten there but the martini's were good...and without disparaging one of my favorite places to visit, the truth is there is not too much to llok at...lots of gridded suburban areas, the River, the congestion of the quarter and environs...the green of the Garden District. NOLA is a walking town, not a bird's eye town, in my opinion.

Your paraphrase is of Lloyd Bentson, Democratic party candidate for Vice President in 1988, directed at Republican VP candidate Dan Quayle. Interesting trivia tidbit: one of the electors representing West Virginia at the Electoral College that year for some reason reversed Bentson and his Presidential running mate, voting for Bentson for President and Michael Dukakis for Vice President. And the reference was John Kennedy, right? The Dukakis campaign was a rough one..I think I've blocked out most of the details!

You're right...I should not have made the zinger about his cooking, that was a low blow and I apologize. In fact, I will edit accordingly. I guess CSW's style of insulting just about everyone but Thomas Keller got a bit too much for me to bear, and I will try to take the advice I often give out: If I don't like a particular poster's style or content, just skip his/her post. In his case, even when he claims to like someone, it seems to me he is insulting them at the same time. The Ignatious stuff was not an arguement, really...I am pretty sure that it's Ignatious J., though.

Yeah, I hear Tommy is known for that. Dry, dry, dry.

First, I'm not easily confused. By a long shot. Whatever, I like the approach that Alton Brown takes..it fills the need of some home chefs. And in the words of ...I forget..." I've met Anthony Bourdain, and you , sir, are not Anthony Bourdain". edited, as it was pointed out that I was rude.

I might add, however, that he is indeed a fine,upstanding citizen, despite his extreme pizza topping views. I implore you all to accept this one slight flaw in our beloved jhlurie.

Ignatius Reilly is the totally self-absorbed lard ass (I'm thin) who thinks it's his god given right to pontificate on subjects that mean very little in the real world (I see a correlation to a lot of the posting here) from A Confederacy of Dunces. And Dennis Miller could take the word "the" and turn it into a four paragraph litany about the plight of the Shiites. Lest we forget, I'm not Michael Rhulman. Sorry to be self-absorbed, and pontificate (we'll leave my ass out of it) but it is Ignatius T. Reilly. Otherwise, It's Ignatius J.