shelora

If the half shell fits, stand in it and strick the pose. Don't be shy.

You are getting sleepy. On the count of ten, you will go to GI and buy two pounds of Savoury Clams. You will go home and steam them in white wine, butter, garlic and herbs. You will have a revelatory experience and have to return the next day to buy more. This time you will steam them in a sauce made from organic tomatoes with basil, garlic and onions. You will now be obsessed about other recipes to use with the regular supply of Savoury Clams that you MUST purchase for you and your friends. You are an now addict. God have mercy on your soul.

Hello, Does anyone out there know anything about savoury clams? They are round-ish, delicate and succulent. The shell is a cream colour with the outer regions more of a blue. I was introduced to them for the first time last week. Chef Jeff Keenliside at the New Marriott in Victoria is using them to make a clam chowder (a la minute). I managed to order them through a fish store a few days later and will order more on Monday. My God! Where have I been? (You don't have to answer that question). Are they indigenous to the coast? How come nobody uses them? Apparently they are available all year round. And they are slightly cheaper than manilla clams. What's going on? s

in reply to Nwyles. Very fascinating dissertation on the beginning rules of Mcdonald's. I stil remember when they first opened in Winnipeg near my high school. Friday nights were kinda of an Italian theme, where they would put don the tables with red checkered tablecloths and hire a local music student to play Italian songs on the violin. Wandering the tables while people were mesmerized by the cheap food. Oh my, those were the daze. S

Hold on there bub. I too, love a good juicy burger and quality fries. In fact I'm heading out to Fairfield Fish and Chips here in Victoria for one of their juicy burgers (deluxe) with fries (proudly fried in beef tallow - that's real beef tallow, not beef flavour). But really, take a deep breath, McDonald's fries are absolutely awful. They taste like cardboard that has been soaked in liquid, formed into a fry shape, deep fried, and tossed in too much salt. Have you ever had one cold? There is nothing even remotely associated with potato flavour or texture. The general public has lost touch with their taste buds. This sad lack of connection can de remedied - I've heard - by brushing ones tongue daily with a tooth brush. Here's to good frites. Shelora

How cool, Esperanza. Congratulations! I look forward to the article tomorrow. I live for the Wednesday N.Y. Times. s

Thanks Nickarte, I know now exactly where the San Juan is. By botana bar, I was referring to the places that post their menus all over town and serve nothing but drinks with little snacks. I don't where I heard the name botana bar, I've always called them that. Thanks for clearing up some confusion. No wonder Mexicanos look at me blankly when I ask them about that. I would definitely not call the Opera Bar a botana bar. The few I've been to were in the centro, among the plumping supply stores! We had sliced (thinly) bull's testicles and other dishes, although, that one made the lasting impression. I guess I'm fascinated by the concept of free food. s

Thanks for the shopping tips Nickarte. The Mercado de San Juan is near the historic centre, right? It sounds like you live in the Mexico City - have you ever been to a botana bar and do you know anything about this unique places? S

After the glowing review of Izote, I was considering it as a choice for New Year's Eve. But, there is no website or email address for Izote after searching on the web. I thought maybe they would have a menu posted with prices or something. Is this too organized? Perhaps, some of you out there could make other recommendations for a New Year's Eve in Mexico City for four adventurous travellers. S

CAFE LA BLANCA, 5 de Mayo #40. Just a few blocks from the zocalo on the corner of Isabel la Catolica and Cinco de Mayo. Great place for early morning cafe con leche. I recommend only sitting at the circular counters to watch the regulars and feast on sweet pastries. Also for afternoon coffee and in the historic centre, I love Sanborns in the Casa de Las Azulejos. Again, the coffee shop with the horseshoe shaped counters is an inspiring people watching extravaganza. Lots of older eccentric locals/bohemians make this their regular stop to debate politics, art and/or the pan dulce. More to come ad infinitum. Shelora

The mushrooms are so prolific this year people are actually giving them away!!! I don't ever remember being given Pine mushrooms before and its been a real treat. Had some more tonight for dinner. mmmm....... mushrooms are mmmmmm marvelous. s

Hello there, Cafe Brio is an excellent choice by far. Greg Hayes will be working the door that night and he is simply the best maitre'd and so helpful with their excellent wine list. Food is great. Produce right now is so inspiring, we are having a bumper crop of wild mushrooms - chanterelles, pine, etc. Brio is close enough to take a cab. You could also go to Brasserie L'ecole before Brio and sit at the bar with wine or French beer and share a duck confit and then move on to Brio, this way you can experience two wonderful places. Dim Sum. you know, its not great, but probably better than Seattle. If you go, go to Don Mee in Chinatown. Its a little glamourous and always packed on a Sunday. I love little plates of food floating around on carts. Can be a little greasy, but just order some tea or a coke. Its about the best we have and still fun to go. If you are going out to the gardens on the Sunday, I would like to make a suggestion of blowing your budget and have a driver take you out to the Deep Cove Chalet - old school French that makes you feel pampered. Its very romantic, overlooking the cove with the all the autumn leaves falling. The food is excellent and they may still be open for lunch on the Sunday, Oct 31. They do have a website and their hours are posted. If you are in town on Saturday and are hankering for lunch, I would like to suggest two places. The Noodle Box on Fisgard in Chinatown - a very happening Thai noodle place and the My Thai on Cook and Fort St., very close to Brio. The best Thai food in Victoria, bar none. Both are casual and right for fortifying yourself before more shopping. If you need more, I'm here. Shelora

Just received the book last week. Going for the gusto with the 3 day recipe for Blood and Guts. I've always believed in the baptism of fire. My treasure hunt for pig parts and tripe has been absolutely educational and dinner is slated for this Saturday. Have tricked quite a few friends into coming for dinner. Bring very robust red wines please. Over and out. Shelora

My kitchen is much smaller than yours, but has the advantage of the 18" of counter space in between the stove and the sink. The first thing that came to mind when I saw your space is that you must check out the metal frameworks that hang from the ceiling with sturdy metal hooks. These are the ultimate space savers because you have a lot of unused space that can be maximized. If you can work in one of these frameworks, it can make your cooking space more efficient - you just reach up and get what you need instead of scrambling around in cupboards. That cupboard above the fridge is a tough one. Have you thought of removing the doors? I picture the whole place opened up, much like a restaurant kitchen. The ikea idea is great because they have a lot of things on wheels that can be pulled out and lets say used as a cutting board or work space for rolling out pastry or kneading bread dough and storing stuff on the shelves below. I personally have very little in the way of appliances beyond a blender and a toaster, fridge and stove. Everything is done by hand including the dishes. Outdoors is handy for grilling, since I have my barbeque at the ready, so I have a bit of extra room there. I think that table has got to go, unless your cooking space is not as important. You know it all depends on how much you cook and how you cook. I have a small cafe table in my kitchen with two chairs and a bigger table in living room, when we have friends round, we eat in there. If you can, take a look at some restaurant kitchens in your neighbourhood for inspiration. Some of the ones you know to be small. Good luck in your new home, Shelora

The fabulous cookbooks of Diana Kennedy and Rick Bayless are invaluable resources to cooking great Mexican food with authentic ingredients. These books have given me years of culinary satisifaction. I have eaten my way through Mexico for the past 12 years or so and taken cooking classes along the way, bought food and eaten in markets, asked a lot of questions, attended Mexican food conferences in Oaxaca and at the CIA in California. I am very serious about learning more and more about this incredible cuisine BUT why isn't there any one place to go to seriously study this? Okay, there are, or were boot camps set up with Diana Kennedy once a year, but this are high priced affairs for a struggling food writer/cook. One can take simple day cooking classes in a lot of places in Mexico, but don't you think there should or could be a centre of study in a place such as Mexico City? There are no known culinary scholarships to study Mexican cuisine is such a way. For an outsider that is. That is very sad, for a cuisine that has so much to offer. And one I desire to learn more about. I personally love the idea that I can go to D.F. and have wonderful French, Lebanese and Mexican food and we should be extolling the virtues and accomplishments of the people you have mentioned in the first post. I think the reason that people always ask where can they can go for really good Mexican food is that we can't get it here in Canada or America. Okay, Fonda San Miguel, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo excluded and the now closed Cafe Azul. That's it for now. Shelora

Such incredible information. I like the idea of having a chile leather. So here I have chile moras and moritas. What to do? I know I have seen carrots and onion en vinagre with some chile moras as a wonderful condiment. does anyone have any other suggestions on what to do with my chile moras? I don't really have the set up to smoke any of them, so just soaking or toasting, grinding. Do you think it would be nice to stuff them, tedious yes, but ..... s

Thanks for clarifying my confusion! Okay, we have the chile meco which is another type of Jalapeno, when it is smoke dried. So when you see the fresh green jalapeno with those woody striations on them, is that a chile meco as well or is that something else? Is a dried serrano still called a serrano? Good God! By the way, I'll take fresh serranos over jalapenos any day, I love their grassy flavour and aroma and there sweet heat. Keep it coming. s

Hello there, Excellent image Theobroma of the smokin' chilies in Nayarit. For purposes of clarification, is a chile mora a mini jalapeno or another variety? Is a chile morita an even smaller version of a jalapeno? The very brown and crinkley looking dried jalapeno (chipotle) looks very different than the dried chile mora and moritas I have staring at me. The cans of chile chipotles in adobo are quite small and plump. I assuming they are mostly chile moras or moritas? Why is chilie identification so complicated? s

Canned mushrooms, stems and pieces. They have a squeeky quality I adore. Never admitted it to just anyone before. I feel somehow lighter now. s

Would you be using a reposada tequila to make the drink? s

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed how that smoked jalapeno is being misspelled everywhere you go? From highend restaurants to any Mom and Pop stop that wants do a chicken wrap with a spicy sauce. Can we all take time to say, CHIH - POHT-lay? Chipotle. There is no T after the L. Its written right on the can of chilies en adobo. I'm not a purfict speller Ither, but dis one is realie obvius. s

I was just at one of my favourite markets and there in the corner, looking very dusty and neglected was a yellow spinning rack with the Borges/Adria oils. I could not believe my luck. Unfortunately, many of the bottles were past their sell-by dates. I purchased the vanilla/olive oil combo and am very curious. I paid $8.99 Cdn. Will report back. s

That was a wonderful obituary, Jamie. S

The menu sounds fab. Don't be too hard on Anthony, we would like something left for us in Victoria. He is slated to speak at 1 p.m. the next day. s

Carolinita, Tortitas! albondigaditas! I just love Mexico! By the way, where are finding these cookbooks by Ricardo Munoz and are they all in Spanish? Sheloraita