jhlurie

I feel like Jerry Seinfeld. "I just don't understand..." Really, in truth, I think I understand most cusines, at least in the sense that I "get" why they make a lot of the choices that they do. The furtherest I get from "understanding" is with some of the British or Scotish stuff. The worst of it I mean--the boiled stuff, or the stuff that's over-sweet or over-bland or soggy or whatever. And even then I suppose a lot of it falls under the explanation that their cuisines developed around their local produce, livestock and lifestyles, and it makes SOME kind of sense. Nobody gets Corn on Pizza. Even the Japanese and/or Koreans don't understand why they eat it I think. Then again, collectively those two cultures have some of the oddest eating habits. Back to the Japanese in particular, forget about strange ingredients like Natto. Just think of how bizarre the COMPLEXITY of some of the preparations are. Sure French food can be just as or more complex. But the cultural baggage there is different and it makes more sense. With the Japanese sometimes it seems like the ritual is the point and not the food. And as much as I frequently appreciate the results, the mind-set contines to mystify me. I actually kind of "get" the mid-west American crap. Not why people continue to eat it, but at least why it happened in the first place. Flavored Jello was a commercial spinoff from the more traditional uses of Gelatin. The company who made the most successful brand, like any enterprising company, wanted to expand its business. And it's campaign fell smack-dab in the middle of a period of American history where Radio and/or TV could convince anyone of anything. Also, there were aspects of a lot of foods at that time that if they felt "futuristic" somehow, they were somehow necessary. America was a culture at that time which needed to define itself as progressive, and it would invent ways if they didn't already exist. Miracle Whip is a tough one. I think somehow the explanation must be somewhere near that of Jello. Somewhere in the culture someone exploited a weakness that Americans could be sold anything. Chicken-fried steak can actually be kind of cool, although I admit it can be a bit weird. But I don't think its part of that same 20th century advert-driven fallout. I think its an honest evolution from something else. The white gravy, at least if properly done, DOES have a distinct taste, and I've seen it used to good effect with biscuits as well as chicken-fried steak. Peach cobbler? I'm not sure I see how its any more bizarre than any other dessert, but that's just my opinion. As for cooking stuff with soda pop? I suppose I understand it in the sense that its just another form of using something sweet as a sauce/marinade. Something that some object to on principle, but if the stated goal is to make something sweet it makes no more or less sense than any other sweetener. Fifi: I actually don't get Wasabi Peas. What people refer to as wasabi peas to me is just low quality dried peas instead of fresh with horseradish instead of real wasabi. I don't mind horseradish... much... but I just don't get eating it on dried peas. As for mamster's Greek food comments... I'm thinking that the best of it may not be overcooked. Maybe we never get to SEE the best of it. Or maybe the overcooking makes some culture sense based on some reaction at some point to try and overcome food spoilage. And the cuisine got in a rut ever after. Torakris: Large parts of German food are mysterious to me. Like with the Brits... I come very close to not getting it. But sausages in general? As a whole thing, yeah... I see the utility. Originally a lot of it was done for convenience I think. Convenience in storage, transport, portioning... you name it. Later I think some of the other forms of sausages/salumi became an art. Okay, quick. Someone explain Taco Bell. Please.

Is the nut ratio different for let's say... a Pecan Tart? Usually they are more dense. Do you even make a Pecan Tart?

In other words, they want to remove the one aspect which MIGHT have made the first series good (if it had been done better)--the opening. They want to jump right to the manufactured melodrama and get further and further away from the nitty gritty details that COULD have given the show depth. Good idea, geniuses. And of course more people watched the show later on in its run. How many people are watching when the train actually wrecks itself? Very few. They gather AFTER the wreck.

OK - I've definitely been away too long. This cinches it. If the burgers at Jackson Hole have gone downhill this much, I guess I won't ever go back Katie, I've only recently had the Jackson Hole burgers in Queens (near the airport) and in Englewood, NJ... but they certainly don't excite me that much anymore. Big and tasteless are the two words which come to mind when I think of Jackson Hole burgers these days.

My big item on this list: mustard As tommy says, I'm sure a discussion like this is hiding somewhere on eG. I recall spinning some elaborate tale the first time of how as a kid all I ever "saw" was French's and Gulden's Mustards and how it wasn't until I had years of exposure to "better" mustards that I changed my mind. But heck... everything that is old is new again at eGullet. This is not an easy topic to search for.

Cafaso's Fairway Mkt., in Fort Lee, which I was reminded of recently when I realized I hadn't been there since Whole Foods opened... Han Ah Rheum--both the Ridgefield Park and Little Ferry locations--rule for produce above all though.

Geez. What kind of fluke would lead to the revivial of this thread? Tilapia a little while ago, only the better schooled of us fished for puns.

Really its mostly the convenience. It has ENOUGH of the stuff I want to always be a sure bet that I'd find most of it. Also, while stuff can be quite expensive off sale, it can be quite cheap on sale. Then again, re-visiting Fairway reminded me that I've neglected another good source for no good reason. Yeah, its also expensive, and the selection is a lot "less", but overall the quality is more consistent than Whole Foods. I've also noticed that the little Organic Foods store on Anderson Ave. in Cliffside Park seems a lot less busy in the past few years than before WF moved in. It has to have hurt their business.

I went one better. I actually risked having one of these sandwiches today. The verdict? As fast food sandwiches go, its tolerably good. Good enough for a chef to risk embarassing himself by endorsing it? No freaking way. Improving the "bread" portion of the sandwich seems to be a big thing at Burger King. I'll admit--the last few new things I've tried there have had marginally better bread. But we are still talking about something a pimply teenager is scooping out of a bin, no matter what.

Years ago I was a fairly regular and loyal customer at the Fort Lee institution Cafaso's Fairway. But driving by it last week, and noticing how close its current renovation is to being done, I realized that I hadn't been in it AT ALL since Whole Foods opened in Edgewater. Got me to wondering if others in the area have seen themselves visiting their local fresh markets/gourmet stores less as a result of WF. Thing is... I'm CLOSER to Fairway. From the outside Fairway looks like it will eventually have about twice the floorspace they used to have. Inside, about a third of that new space seems to be "done" and is being used as an expansion of the produce area..

I thought the same thing. The only dish I had which didn't seem traditionally "thai" was the Northern Tomato Chicken Dip thing. Funny thing is... it was the best thing I had there.

Okay Jason Rachel is right. You know my standards on Thai Beef Salad. I need to hear a verdict, and frankly your taste in Yum Nuea matches mine more than Rachel's!

You were practically sitting next to it! It was on the other side of that table with that lovely sangria--at least during the later stages of the affair... Also, tommy and Steven were gathered around it. dbrociner: I suggest PMing Fat Guy, Jason or Rachel Perlow. They may be able to assist you with storing your pictures.

You really have to make the Katz's pilgrimage now, tommy. Warning: Katz's Pastrami will make your mouth sing, but may also make you a bit gassy. So take a Zantac first.

Um, sorry to out-geek you, Jason, but that would be the visual spectrum. Stick to law Dean. The visual spectrum is a part of the electomagnetic spectrum, so Jason was right. more Yes, the visual spectrum is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, but what was displayed was only the visual part. Thus, I'd argue that I'm more precise here. And I do have a Ph.D. in Biochemistry!! My good buddy Roy G. Biv has no room for Mr. Radio or Mr. XRay.

Tried the Steap Orange/Green Tea Soda tonight. Not bad. Not bad at all. Like with Cricket Cola, with Steap the Green Tea is sixth on the list of ingredients... so its not THAT strong--the orange flavor is dominant. I'm not sure the Green Tea is as necessary with Orange as with Cola (where it really took the worst of the Cola bitterness away), but its interesting. But one thing I notice with ALL of these Green Tea Sodas is that they have a more pleasant aftertaste.

You turned away THE Keith Blackwell? http://www.southalabama.edu/cwrc/drkeith.html Other Keith Blackwells, and Blackwell oriented web sites: The Harvard Dr. T. Keith Blackwell Some dude named "Keith Blackwell" who says he "hangs out" on the ProSound Web forums, whatever those are. AREA Ratings for 29302.01: Keith Blackwell (I dare you to figure THIS one out!) United States of America v. DONALD KEITH BLACKWELL The Chief Executive Officer of Bristol Technology is named Keith Blackwell. But Bristol Technologies is located in Connecticut. Could this be the guy? Esher College Principal Keith Blackwell? Would a Principal from a school in Surrey think he's famous? We could do this for hours! But we won't. Actually, the Harvard guy seems reasonably famous in his circles. He dominates Google.

Isn't this the exact same thing as the What are you eating RIGHT NOW topic?

Thai Chef has good Chocolate Souffles for dessert. Any sign of them here?

I went to the extent of finally taking my air conditioners out of the windows (no central air), but seeing the latest forecast for my area it now looks pretty unnecessary. You guys are definitely getting the brunt of it. Since my neighborhood is on top of a cliff over a river (the Hudson) near the ocean, I DO get nasty wind problems whenever there is even a normal storm--thus frequently tree branches in the street, broken windows and downed power lines. So even a wimpy edge of a storm like I'm going to get... I've got to take semi-seriously. sherribabee: I lived in DC for four years during college, and was also amused at their concept of a "snowstorm". I grew up in a part of New York where we'd often get 2-3 foot snowfalls, and with drift there were many winters where we'd literally have to dig tunnels. And this was mid-state New York--hardly Buffalo. So I was quite amused by the panic two inches of snow could bring to D.C. Hurricanes on the other hand... well, I hope for all of your sakes that it doesn't stall over D.C. In and out, that's what you want. Pass your problems on to Pennsylvania. (EDIT - Bah. Watching the news now. It's going to hit those of us to the north even less than they'd thought a few hours ago. The people on the Jersey Shore are gonna get flooded, that's about it...)

Okay, I surrender to someone who managed to get Jinmyo in there...

Be fair Mark. Its more likely to be a dud to us than for let's say... Varmint.

And the sweatshirt he's wearing below it seems western-wear as well.

MatthewB: I sense a tommy-like "I'm in" from a different part of the country. =Mark: Are you volunteering to help? You can be the outside person and calm excited SUV owners down. (Hey, I'm serious... PM me.) tommy: Okay, you can be the sign Czar. Go ahead and buy your poster board and big markers and show up a bit early to the Potluck. Rachel estimates 30+ vehicles. From what I recall of the field I saw when I went up there, 30 cars COULD all fit in the flat lot if they were packed end-to-end and we all left in reverse order from how we came. Given that possibility the SUVers might WANT to park across the street. Of course that will also allow us to stagger the parking in the other lot, coincidentally.

tommy, Rachel and I are talking about this now, but there were some mitigating circumstances. 1.) not disrupting Bobolink's normal traffic 2.) making sure people don't block each other (so we need SOME people at a minimum) 3.) pointing the SUVs to one lot with a hill and non-SUVs to a flatter space on opposite sides of the road Signs to supplement things would still help.