johnnyd

In Portugal we used to have bolinhas de bacalhau every couple weeks which were basically fried fish cakes; minced onion, shredded potato and saltcod (soaked for a day first), all bound by a bit of egg and fried in oil. It had to be my favorite snack when I was a kid.

I lived in Portugal for a spell and love it's food. That is a terrific recipe and I have to make it but probably with countneck or mahogany clams instead. I make a variation of a pork/shellfish stew every few weeks but I've never used pork belly. Ameijoas na Cataplana recipe - note the accompanying soundtrack! I'd like to add that the pan should be covered when the clams go in - maybe 5 or six minutes so the clams cook out and open. Another thing is to expect more juice out of those clams than you might expect. I have to make this soon!

You know, a dippable pizza slice might have a future but I don't see it overwhelming the world of cuisine where it would become emblematic of america's station in the food world. But the burgers you propose might have legs. Definitely the water idea - a medium to transfer vitamins and pharmaceuticals is a no-brainer. Tacos? Could happen!

TV news item tonight featuring head of the Lobster Promotion Council who says the "Crustaecacuter", or whatever it is WF uses to electrocute lobsters in-store (by request of the purchaser obviously) actually means they are buying a dead lobster, known to begin harmful bacteria proliferation under the shell from the moment of death. Basically more local opinion, based on much experience, to counter supposed logic of those "from away". Hey, it's a legitimate sport around here! Portland Whole Foods opens wednesday, the 14th, right smack in the middle of a raging nor'easter blizzard that is predicted to pound us with a foot or two of snow. So I guess the guys who are going to sell lobsters out of their truck across the street won't set up until the weekend when the roads are clear. I love Mainers!

Just saw True Romance! So that's why I kept re-reading this line!

I saw Master and the Commander again last night and remembered a certain egullet member who happened to be the resident expert on foods that appear in author Patrick O'Brien's novels. I started to dig into the distant past and found this post by balmagowry who I wish would come around more often. Balmagowry was one of the two authors of "Lobscouse & Spotted Dog: Which is a Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels" Aimed at reader's of, and tied directly to, Patrick O'Brien's British novels, it includes nineteenth century recipes for Burgoo, Ship's Biscuit, Skillygalee, Drowned Baby, Sea-Pie, Figgy-Dowdy, Soused Hog's Face, Solomomgundy and much, much more. I submit the following diversion while we think of more candidates!

"Diva"? 1981 film directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix

I was thinking of what Americans would identify as their top picks, and what non-americans would choose as the top 5 "American" foods found here. Then for the next fifty years I took a stab at what America might be known for in the future. I keep reading about how American spirits like bourbon are gaining noteriety abroad, as well as the increasing quality of wines, so within fifty years USA-alcohol products might gain "iconic" status and therefore be in significant demand. That goes for indigenous fruits and veges, which lead into indigenous dishes eaten for milenia by native Americans. There is scant evidence of recipes now, but who knows if some will be brought to the surface and re-developed - could be all the rage someday.

I desperately wanted to include Maple Syrup and Lobster Rolls but it violates the regional rule. phooey.

1950 - 2000 1) Apple Pie 2) Fried Chicken 3) Sandwiches/Heros 4) Barbeque 5) Ice Cream Sundaes 2000 - 2050 1) Heirloom Fruit / Vegatables 2) Native American dishes 3) Wines / Distilled Spirits / Beers 4) All things Porcine 5) Designer Sodas how's that for a start?

Local opinion is heating up! The following is from a letter by Claus Crustacean, better known in these pa-ahts as "Crusty the Lobster" to WF: The rest of the irreverant letter to Whole Foods from Crusty here.

Bumpity... Portland Maine Whole Foods to sell Lobsters - Portland Press Herald 2/8/07 (available for a limited time) Despite the fact that their lobsters are caught off Vinalhaven, ME their lobster supplier is based in New Hampshire! Locals are furious. Colleagues, I beg your opinion And just for fun, check out this Lobster Holding System...

This story from Commercial Fisheries News is a little old (Dec'06) but checks in on the status of New England ports who handle shrimp: Tim, I'm digging for more info - I'll PM or phone if I find something.

Tampopo? (I can't remember a whipped cream scene, but I can't forget the eggs and the oysters). ← Hai! Gozaimashita! Also called "Dandelion", it's in my top five of all time. Too bad Mr Juzo Itami is no longer with us.

I had a Molson "ice" the other day. ugh

From Sustainable Food News.com, a subscription-only daily news service; re-posted in part, below, with permission from the editor: 5.25% alcohol content from Miller? Anyone over there in PNW who tastes it / has tasted it, please post a review, thanks.

Plate o' Shrimp is indeed from the wonderfully twisted Repo Man. Not only is it part of Tracy Walter's dialogue, but on a poster at the store that was famously robbed, it was a special that day. Here's one: eggs, oysters, whipped cream

We have a bone-chilling forecast for the next few days... With temperatures in the single-digits, I don't think there will be shrimp on the market from today until the weekend when things settle down. I could be wrong: there are some intrepid guys on those boats.

I caught the tail end of a TVnews item about these guys and there were three to four-foot tall plants coming out of green round thingies behind the owner, so I think they are dirt-bourne. Don't hydro plantings involve long trays with vermiculite, perlite and such?

Last Monday, Backyard Beauties from Madison, Maine delivered their first shipment to Portland Hannaford markets. I picked up a couple for $2.99/lb - they look great. It is freakin' minus five degrees (with the windchill) outside and someone is growing tomatos in Madison, Maine. That's a two hour drive - north - from Portland, where it is minus ten degrees (with windchill). "On a cold February day in 2004 Paul Sellew realized that every tomato in his grocery store was from Holland or Mexico or Canada and were not really ripe, they just turned red while traveling." Now, he's the largest greenhouse operation in New England. Outstanding! Talk about a guy who solves a problem. I'll let you know how they taste.

Hmmm. I'd venture to say they might have been frozen and thawed for display. Sounds like it's possible but I wonder... BTW, How did you prepare/serve them? There is a real problem in handling here. Someone's got to invent a method or package. I had some PMs with theclash about transporting shrimp from Maine to southern areas - he came up with some clean, durable ice-cream boxes. Ingenious! Had a conversation recently about shrimp service - one way is piles of peel&eat shrimp with melted butter or some other dip. Hey, MD does it with crab. Why don't Old Port restaurants offer piles of these things during happy hour? I bet you'd cause a wave of attention if they were offered FREE with the purchase of a beverage from 5 to 7p. Another inventive way we thought of, although less likely to catch on, is shrimp fondue. How about spearing a couple shell-on (or better: head-on!) shrimp and place in pot of simmering broth or bay/peppercorn water, then peel and dip in choice of four sauces, at a table with six friends? How festive!

No, I really think the guy needed his grill! He had all those pals hanging around ribbing him about giving up his damn grill to some TV crew while they go hungry, so he was finally goaded into action. He had to come back with it or he would suffer mondo-humiliation. Peer pressure brings results! I learned a few useful tricks as well, and going down to the wire reminds me of many a moment in BOH. Bonus feature: All recipes are on the Food TV website - here. I want to see the Maine Island episode.

If your buying habits take you back to Whole Foods soon, Mr. GRider, glance at the shrimp shelf and see how it's moving. Ask the fishmonger too. wlg: THat's a big-time bummer buy at Sn'S. I took a similarly smelly purchase back to our local Hannaford and they reimbursed me. Every time since the shrimp has been excellent (heads-off, $3.99/lb). Handling of this product has still to be worked out it seems.

I'm on my second Long Trail Double-Bag Brown Ale, bronze medalist of the NYT Brown Ale taste-test from this weeks Dining section. Pretty good. I'd say - Lots going on here. The second one is more delicious than the first and I'll wager the third will be terrific...

Do whatever Whole Foods in Jersey does. Maybe they have it in NYC too, for all I know. The real question, how do we turn it into a Broadway show? ← Whole Foods covers the retail/consumer end when possible using their dedicated outlet distribution channels, and they probably don't want to screw around with the additional headaches involved with deliveries to restaurants. I envision "The Shrimp Man" meeting the boats and loading totes into a truck with a proper refrigeration unit, then hits the road with a pre-configured delivery route. If the boats off-load at 7pm, he's in Boston in two hrs, Plymouth an hour later, swings through connecticut and then New York by around 4 or 5am, and back home by noon. On this schedule, how do chefs feel about paying $5 per pound, delivered? Minimum 20lbs - cash on delivery. If the dish-du-jour uses 6 - 8oz of "Fresh Maine Shrimp" that were in the ocean yesterday and charges $20 - $25, six or seven covers pay for the load+labor and you spin the rest of it into bisque at $9 - $11/bowl... ...This show is in Previews! Tickets on sale now!