et alors

Elk?!?! I just watched the ostrich iron chef, and it seems to be a similar meat, fat-wise. I think if product was very fresh, I'd do a tartar with nice capers, mustard, onions etc to set off the gaminess and highlight the bright meaty taste. Then serve with horse-fat fries and mezuna with a traditional dijon vinegrette (we do it wiht germafiber brought home form france, makes it magical.) But if i felt so-so about it, I might wrap it in bacon, grill it and serve with microgreens and a root veg mixture... carrots and salsify, perhaps. the berry sauce makes super sense, gotta say that's the way to finish the grilled elk. That said, I can't say I know elk...

From Bourdain's blog http://www.bravotv.com/blog/anthonybourdai..._way.php?page=8 I do hope that is what Collecio meant too. He also has some great insights about what it means for a food to have "soul." I do think Hung, no matter what cuisine he was cooking in, did make a throw-away dish he could execute perfectly due to his enormous talents. He didn't respect the ingredient nor the environment (nor should he) and he sleepwalked his way into the finals. I look forward to seeing what soul he does bring to the final meal (and sorry I can't taste it!.

Dale worked at Trio. Somehow I had missed that fact before now. My money suddenly shifted to the dark horse.

Hubert Keller has a show I've caught on PBS recently, and I have mixed feelings about it. He looks so uncomfortable in the camera, yet at the same time so kindly and precise in his teachings. He's quite clearly a good teacher. I find his approaches and ideas both very educational and watchable, except when his unease makes me uneasy. Perhaps he'll grow into a Mario role.

While they could make some adjustments through editing, the episodes they're showing now were filmed a while ago. ← It's all in the editing. the annoying music, the choice to focus on gordon at work at fixing the restaurant, the interviews and the focus on rotting veg... they could give the raw footage to the British crew and the american crew and have two different shows. It was actually the reappearance of the beefcake shot that made me wonder if they were tweaking. If so, keep whining everyone! Louder! and on Fox's website!

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/b...omment-84303702 I have trouble arguing, since I own all ten. The comments have some good additions. I threw in A Meal Observed, by Todhunter. You?

Speaking of which, that came back in last night's episode... ← woohoo! Anyhow, this one was slightly better. I truly wonder if they are reading the forums and adjusting. Ramsey was a bit more authoritative, actually helped get the restaurant focused on a cuisine, he cleaned rather than remodeled the kitchen (though the front of hte house got a remodel... but they do that in the BBC version often, to message "change") I do miss the explanations of _why_ he does each thing. Here he seems like a random tyrant, on the BBC every decision was backed with logic, so you could learn as you were entertained. They are a bit formulaic, that said... "How to fix your restaurant" 1. realize it's a business and if you mess it up your life is ruined 2. simplify your menu to a small list of things done well 3. simplify your dishes to a few fresh local ingrediants 4. find out what the market wants 5. market test your food by grabbing locals 6. clean and fix equipment 7. fire the bums 8. change damaged brands (by changing name and design) or at least repaint 9. do a silly promotion to catch folks attention 10. group Hug! (added for the american audience)

pink chicken=bye bye. chef who kills the judges leaves. in any case I just hope Dale slaps down malarky before he goes home. he deserves one shining dish moment before the final casey-hung death match.

I rather missed the obligatory beefcake shot... it was about the only exploitive thing they didn't do. I'm miserably disappointed in KN. I loved the British version. It could be show in MBA classes as business 101. But this one is "cops" in a restaurant. Not enough cooking, not enough food and way too much reality drama crap. I feel obligated to try one more episode, but this is not looking good.

If you want to cook Italian, you read Marcella Hazan, if you want French then Julia and Jacque can be your guides. But to whom to you turn for Spanish, Indian, Japanese? For new techniques like sous vide or fashionable trends like low carb? What cookbooks/cooking books and authors have been your guides when the territory was unknown? I seek adventure....

If you love strawberries, the place to go is the nursery, not the market I think. I found alpine strawberries at my local nursery, and as someone before me said, they are moron-easy to grow. Water them and they fruit. And if you hand one to someone to eat, they will know you love them dearly, to hand it over rather than hoard each one yourself. That said, I still shiver when I recall Florence, with tiny strawberries everywhere, in the market and on gelato, tiny tart and sweet and dense with taste. Why do they live so well, why do we allow ourselves to be cheated?

I've begun watching them. Still, I have a nightmarish vision of a chef screaming at me in patois while I try to avoid cutting off my fingers.... The collection resides here http://www.metafooder.com/?cat=45

You know, it's a nice thought, but I've been with my French Husband for almost ten years, I took alliance cources, and when in France I can order, pay and discuss some movies, but not all, and I can't explain George Bush to anyone, but that isn't a language problem... I don't think I'll make a giant leap in a month and a half. Maybe next year a course in french and food in arles... but this year, it's going to be cooking school in english. I'm gathering all my finds at www.metafooder.com, and it's starting to look pretty good. I'm frustrated by the ritz site, though... almost no info on what the classes actually *are.*

I have a dream, which I have harbored for many years. Now, with a my 40th birthday just past, I'm hoping to make it real: I want to be Sabrina. Audrey Hepburn in paris, learning how to cook and be a lady at the same time. it would be sexist, if it weren't so sexy. I want a short vigorous course where I will learn to crack and egg and cook a souffle (par example). I don't speak french very well, so I fear it may be at one of those for tourists places. Which schools are more about skills, and less about goofing around learning a recipe? I will be in France from mid december to early january, and am willing to push dates around for the right place... any ideas? (and yes, I'm digging though the threads.. I'm just having trouble finding the right... er... flavor of school.)

Also, what are these?

more on flickr.... La Mata has am ambitious chef, but it's hit and miss now. This dish, watermelon a la placha, was awesome though. Cafe Europa was my favorite for tapas. And the kitchen is open all day. Lourdes Lbarra, the chef is extraordinary. She's catalan, and she has defiantely transformed the place into something special. location, phone lomo de bacaloa crepe bacala sormorillo

there is a reason they start with rice cereal-- do you remember how horible coffee and wine tasted when you were a kid? Strong flavors are a bit much. I'm not spanish, but right now my 10 month old is eating jamon, salmorejo (gaspacho) and asparragos, among other things. But she did start with rice cereal and bannas. I was a white-food person until I was a teen, and now I eat everything. people change, dont worry.

Sevilla roll up September 2006 made of various folks comments, with my own opinion as I try to verify. Sorry about the confusion with the now defunct Casablanca-- this was the first time I've been able to sit down and sort through everything. Travelling alone with a baby (my husband is off in Nerva with his nasa cronies shooting x-rays through rocks)... well, I'm a bit disoriented. I would like to shoot myself in the head for saying this, but thank god for starbucks, where I can sit Amelie down to crawl while I use the computer... upstairs at Plaza San Francisco I can pull chairs around to make a make-shift playpen, and they even have an outlet. (for those who care, plaza alfalfa and plaza cristo de burgo have wifi, but not baby-friendly. Try bouncing a crabby baby on your knee while drinking sangria surrounded by out of uniform drag queens, tourists and happy families-- that's alfafa 10.) Anyhow, back to food-- someone who writes guidebooks must read this forum-- I was surprised how many were in my Knoff Citymap Guide. TAPAS Bars Considered the best bet in Sevilla El Riconcillo-- personally I adored it, great food even off-hours, great service, gorgeous old decor and they allowed Amelie, my 10-month old baby to sit on the bar while we ate tapas together (she liked jamon-- I'm scared.) The spinach-garbonzo was surprising and addictive. Amelie thinks so also. Barbiana -- Stopped in on a thursday lunch, and it was packed with locals. No wonder there were no tourists-- from the outside it was nothing much, no tables ouside, no tables inside for that matter except two tall bar tables with no chairs. Lots of men in suits, women dressed nicely, everyone chatting, everyone knew echother, the bar man, the lotto sellers... I plunked Amelie on the bar, and ordeed a tinto verano-- but over the crowd the barman couldn't here properly, and I replied "si" as I alwas do and got a terrific dry rose.I ordered the required shrimp tortilla (more a fritter than anything else, but GREAT) and then asked the barman for another tapas. Amele tried to feed a cracker to a fellow patron. The barman choose somehting, a bit of fish and potato -- both delicious. Amelie ate half the potato and flirted with everyone in the room. Toward the end of the meal, a fellow carrying a michelin red guide came in-- he spoke english and confirmed this was the best spot in centro. A gulleter, or merely a wise man? El Espignon IyII Manolo Leon Yerba Sol y Sombres Estrella Manolo Leon Cafe Europa- I think the crepe of bacalao and the partige pate puts it in the running. The Salmorego is a favorite of amelie's-- she has learned how to dip here. Any word on Antigua Bodeguita? -- it was jam-pcked at lunch today. RESTARAUNTS Poncio As-Sawirah Egana-Oriza is generally considered going down hill. I spotted El Mata-- very attractive menu, including carpaccio of gambas. Anyone tried it? FINE DINING "La Alquería at Hacienda Benazuza is a fine restaurant in delightful surroundings, very well run by Ferran Adrià alum Rafael Morales and closely monitored by Adrià himself. The menu is somewhat more conservative than Ferran's own at El Bulli, but still first rate stuff." Starting to feel this is required.... we have wheels, when my husband brings them back from Nerva friday. as for markets, the one on Ferria by Ominium Sactorium provided the great pears http://www.flickr.com/photos/eleganthack/237608658/ . there is one at plaza de construction-- er-- plaza de constition as well, perhaps slightly better but also harder to spot. I will continue editing and updating...

is casablanca gone? I couldn't find it-- ended up eating at vino and tapas, because they had tables-- makes a huge difference with my daughter. Tapas were quite nice!

I am here and have found two nice tapas places-- casa paco, which is uneven, but one block from my apartment ,) and cafe europa which is quite good, esp. the crepe de bacalao, and the partige pate. will follow up on the rest soon. also found the market on ferria where i got the most unbeliablely wonderful little pears. no idea what they are, except sweet and juicy.

How can you go to spain and not look for ham? I also am seeking cheese, wine, olives, lively markets and food related day trips.

I've been through the threads, and I haven't been lucky in coming up with recent information of eating in Seville/Sevilla (using both forms of the name in hopes of making this thread searchable). I stayed in Seville 10 years ago, in a wonderful hidden hostel I can't find now, and I recall wandering through the streets at night, having wonderful tapas and copious amounts of sangria. But now I'm older, and have a 9 month old daughter (who has already dined at Trois Gros!), and while tapas will be great some evenings, I'd love advice on breakfast, lunch and proper dinner, high end and low, with the only requirement being that it be tasty. I'm sure my husband and I will have at least one high-end meal to celebrate our mutual 40th year, but the rest will probably be in the moderate to cheap range... (and if anyone wants to sneak in further advice on lodging or such, don't hesitate. In return, I promise reports.

great thread here http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=40491

I went there for my birthday and I was impressed by everything. It was as close to a French 2 star at a SV Restaraunt as I can remember. Quiet, elegant service, beautiful well crafted food.

I gambled and I won. I got a cherry pie from Pennsuila Creamery grill in downtown Palo Alto. In the past, I was so in love with their milkshakes I never gave their pie a chance. But I am happy to report: good crust sour cherries (vital!) good filler I couldn't bake because my family was doing things to the house, but if I could have, I would have done this My Grandmother's Pie Crust Recipe This is a classic, old fashioned Iowa recipe. Fill with apples tossed with cinamon and sugar, cherries, or other goodies. 3/4 Cup plus 2 T. shortening (Crisco) 1/4 Cup boiling water 1 T. milk 1 tsp. salt 2 1/4 Cup sifted flour Put shortening in mixing bowl. Add boiling water and milk. Beat mixture with a fork until smooth and thick. Sift flour and salt into mixture. Stir with round-the-bowl strokes until dough clings together and cleans the bowl. Lightly form dough into 2 balls. Roll out on lightly floured surface until 1/8 " thiick. Ease dough into 9" pie plate. Roll out 2nd ball & lay over filled pie shell. Trim about 1/2" beyond edge. Fold under and flute.