Daddy-A

No doubt it will air earlier in the US. Anybody with a sattelite dish? A.

Wow! You're having a good run of it in PEI! Had the kids at the driving range on Sunday myself ... all the golf I can handle really. Before we left, J made us Buttermilk Pancakes with Hazelnuts, served with Cranberry-Maple syrup. The syrup is amazing! Coffee ... tripple latte made with JJ Bean Nero Forte beans. Love my Saeco! A.

I don't believe this has been covered yet ... ... but has anybody tried cauliflower roasted with tandoori spices? We've done "Tandoori Gobi" and "Gobi Pekoras". Adapting the "mother" recipe discussed in this thread to include tandoori spices isn't difficult, and well worth the effort. My kids like the perkoras better than fries. A.

The difference between dinner, last night, with the kids: Cider-brined Roast Chicken Balsamic Roasted Winter Veggies (Squash, Parsnips, Carrots, etc) Risotto with Chantrelles, Porcini & Pine Mushrooms (local) and Pancetta - made (with help) by my 13 year old son Table set & cleared by my 10 year old son. ... and dinner, tonight, without the kids: Leftover Rice - 2 varieties less than 1 week old. 6 Potstickers 12 Perogies Salad made from the remnants of the veggie drawer. Eaten at the coffee table while we watch the Sox claw their way back into the series. Dishes still sitting on the coffee table. A. ps - Eunny, nice quack.

Am I the only one who found the Forbes article just a little disturbing? I understand what Forbes is all about, and why they would write such an article. But the fact that we're sitting around comparing restaurants based on their average ticket and not the quality of their food bothers me. The article speaks of "snob appeal." God knows I understand and even rely on this concept. In my business it can mean the difference between a vacation camping in the backyard and a week in Mexico. Call me a hypocrite, but when a restaurant does it, to me it cheapens the meal. To me it just smacks of the whole "bigger is better" concept. I may have to re-read the article to be sure, but I don't believe the author ever says anything to acknowledge that "cost does not equate quality". I know an article on "value for money" wouldn't likely find it's way into Forbes ... but it would be a whole lot more meaningful. Perception of value. A.

That might be usefull, since you've got nothing to contribute. A.

How about Mick Jones or Joe Strummer? I kinda want to keep the punk reference. A.

Bourdain would be Sid Viscious. Emerill would be Barry Manilow. Food Network? MTV of course. Or in musical terms, I'd buy the American Bandstand analogy. Which begs the question, who would be Dick Clark? Jamie Oliver ... I feel about him the same as I feel about Emerill. You have to separate the person from the persona. I'm sure Jamie is a really nice guy and loves cooking and all. Just because his producers/handlers decide to portray him as a git doesn't mean he is one. A.

Good value for money really. I know they have that Intello Air Flow that helps distribute the cold air evenly around the fridge. I find most of that stuff pretty gimicky. Mostly I like the value, and their smaller sized fridges. Most other manufacturers ignore the small fridges, forcing you to look at more expensive European models. A.

Isn't that the important thing? I've been enjoying your foray into the world of cooking having started the journey myself 10 years ago. Keep up the great work! A.

AMEN! It was in fact this literary joust between Bourdain & Ruhlman that hooked me on this place. Thank you both! A.

Yeah, I knew it was steep ... but I think I paid about $4 for all I needed. Fujiya eh? I suppose T&T would have some too. Thanks. A.

Well, at least the mushrooms aren't that heavy. The "Mushroom Guy" on Granville Island was charging $12/lb. I figured it was kinda steep ... but they were there and so was I. POS marketting A.

You can call me Arne Don't worry about the heat ... although I might paint the underside of the countertop just to protect it from the moist heat. I really like the new LG fridges. Trouble is they're only about 10-12 cubic feet if you're looking at 24-26" (counter) deep. If you can work around that, they are a terrific solution. A.

There's a wood burning oven pizza place next door to our showroom. Smells really good, especially on these cool fall evenings. Their pizza is pretty good ... David, yours sounds better. Doubt they would you rent space Picked up some chantrelles and some pine mushrooms at Granville Island on Sunday. Before I tell what I paid (keeping in mind we're talking that Gommora of tourist headonism called Granville Island) what is a fair price to pay for this sort of mushroom? I'd like to know before I waste them on my kids A.

I'll second Brio, and add Paprika Bistro to the mix. Not sure how it fits in with Laurel Point (I HATE you! ) re: cab rides, but its a nice room, very friendly ... a bit more intimate than Brio. All shelora's recs re: Dim Sum I second. Deep Cove is on my TO DINE list. Let us know if you go! A.

andiesenji is on the right track. The trouble with this space is not that it's too small, its the narrow opening into the pantry area. I like andiesenji's idea about turning what is currently the pantry into a breakfast nook. Good use of space, and it keep everyone else out of the kitchen if it's being used at the time. Moving the fridge where the table is now will be problematic as it won't allow proper clearances from the back door (top of the stairs). That outside corner of the "room" where the stairs are is your nemsis here. I've left the fridge where it is for now. It's a 36" side by side, and unless you're prepared to replace it, I really don't see a better place for it. Again, I like andie's idea of moving the range around the corner to the adjacent wall. I'm going to go further and suggest you run some cabinetry up the wall where the range used to be. This will help make up for the losing your pantry to the breakfast nook. Here's what I came up with: Hope that helps. A.

Iron Fans website has just posted the new schedule for ICA. NEW SCHEDULE From the site: No word on airing dates A.

Now, now Andy. Is that on-topic?? We could discuss the new restaurant going in at Kits. I'm sure Conde Nast would find it a welcome addition to our gastro-tourism scene. A.

Foodie! Welcome back. Hope you had a great vacation! J & I went out for Pho' tonight with my cousin & his wife. Pho' Hoa isn't my favorite, but they're in Coquitlam so there's not much choice. Our Thanksgiving dinner last night was the culmination of a day's shopping at Granville Island: Futtucine with Lemon & Scallops, Sesame Encrusted Ahi, Duck with Cranberries ... paired with a 2003 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon. Desert was Sauted Bananas and ice cream. It was an unorthodox Thanksgiving. A.

Dejah ... happy Thanksgiving from Burnaby! And welcome to our corner of eG (loved your blog). Impressive ... my first liquor purchase came in cans. A.

Am not! Are too! Am not! Are too! Well, you're nothing if not consistent Sam ... NIMBY. A.

You've not seen one of my small kitchens now have you?? Slightly off topic ... The trend, due to increased urban living (at least in this market), is towards smaller more efficient kitchens. Local markets and specialty shops allow a more "European" style of shopping/cooking ... people pick up food for dinner on their way home from work. Daily shopping allows for smaller fridges. Smaller cooktops, ovens & ranges (typically European) also add to my ability to create better kitchens in small spaces. So I think the size of the kitchen has less to do with not cooking as much and more to do with size constraints. Personally, I prefer smaller kitchens. Less to clean up and WAY more efficient. Some of these 500 square foot "great room" kitchens should come with roller blades to help you get around. These mega-kitchens are tyically in the larger homes (i.e. I don't see disproportionately large kitchens in smaller homes.) I think the situation in Vancouver is pretty common in that houses are built to the maximum size of the lot for investment reasons, not because there is a demand for large houses. snowangel ... you're not a dinosaur. IMO it's the way children should be raised whenever possible. I respect and admire parents like you. A.

Neil, Steve mentioned the chowhound website ... verboten in these parts! A.

That stovetop ... he's a rebel. A.