monkey2000

In case you missed it, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2dkSYYHIWY

www.josemadeinspain.com

They are made by a company called FOC out of Barcelona http://www.foc-bcn.com/

I am in total agreement on rumaki. Teryaki and waterchesnut and bacon. Everyone loves food on toothpicks and chicken livers are cheap! Just don't mention liver when passing them to the guests. People like to prejudge. Also Lobster Newburg, etc. When I was a kid I adored something my mother used to make for company, this wicked broccoli and chicken something called Chicken Divan. May have had velveeta for all I know but it was AWESOME. At least it seemed so 25 years ago. I also love those cheeseballs people would make for parties. A mess of cream cheese, cheddar, etc. mixed rolled into a ball and then rolled in chopped nuts and/or herbs. Mom made one for every party.

Hi, Bekki. You will definitely notice a difference using pimenton. It has a very distinctive taste. My grandmother was an amazing cook and when I was growing up in Madrid I relished her cooking. I tried over the years to recreate some of her recipes in the US. Never seemed to work. Until I picked up a tin of pimenton de la Vera at seafood store in Bethesda. I can't explain it any better than to say that I found pimenton was often that thing, that missing something, that flavor that makes her recipes (and those in José's book!) taste right.

So I am off to Croatia for two weeks later this summer and am wondering what to look out for foodwise. And where I should go to eat. My reading so far makes it sound like an interesting mix of Greek, Italian, Austro-Hungarian, Turkish, Slavic and other Eastern European influences. A cured ham called prsjut made me think of prosciutto! Sausages cured with spicy paprika bring to mind chorizo! A strudel like pastry that can be savory or sweet! Cabbages either stuffed or as sauerkraut! I am headed to Istria, Split and Dubrovnik and wherever else our wanderings take us along the coast. Any recommendations?

Downtown. Was looking at Joel Antunes place for dinner. Anything else along the same lines worth checking out? If not can always head to the Varsity!

24 hours in Atlanta, where to eat?

It was horrible in some respects but I confess the place I really miss is Pied de Cochon! Started going there in high school. Sometimes we'd skip class and goof off in Georgetown for the day. Or maybe go to the Biograph or Key for a movie followed by Pied de Cochon. We'd order coffee and smoke cigarettes and pretend we were French. Stuck up little teenagers. Later, I moved to Georgetown for school and began to go more often. Many late nights ended there with eggs benedict. And many Sunday mornings/afternoons began with the Post and their early bird special. I especially loved all the black and white photos of groovy people in the 70's on the wall. There was one photo in particular that always caught my attention. A guy in a fedora and make up, full David Bowie in the Ziggy Stardust days mode. I wonder sometimes what happened to all those photos. And the plaque commemorating some Soviet defector. I haven't lived in Georgetown in ages and I almost never make it over there these days. I was very sad to see Pied de Cochon was gone. Thank God Billy Martin's and Cappucino's pizza are still there. What about Fetoosh?

Just FYI, Oyamel is not on the RAMW site but is participating.

R: Is there any chain restaurant food that you can tolerate? A: Well, if I'm stoned, or even semi-stoned, and it's late at night, I don't mind The Colonel every now and again. I think he's evil, but I like his chicken. Is this a reference to the Pentavaret?

For a quick fix, there is always Granja de Oro. Not Pollo Rico but pretty decent.

Sorry. Bad writer. I meant THE argument not YOUR argument. Apparently, I need a nap. Anyway, some community folks were up in arms when Hank's was being built and tried to get the sign granted some historic landmark protection or something.

Easy now with the yuppie bashing. And the class warfare talk. I am an exceedingly underpaid prole who made my home in the neighborhood for years, way before it became so posh. And I loved Trio's too. There were many nights I wound up there after too many vodka tonics at Fox & Hounds or Mr. Eagan's. However, my love did not blind me to its ugliness! Admit it. It was, at best, a homely little place. As for the argument that the sub sign was some sort of historic landmark well, erm, I miss the sign too but you lost me there. Besides, every townie knows the best bad pizza is to be found at Millie & Al's.

I went to Hank's last night with a few friends and it was wonderful. The folks there took a grimy, nasty sub shop and turned it into a beautiful, bright space. The place just has a really nice, laid back, comfortable vibe and a great location within walking distance of my home. And the food is fantastic. Simple, clean, bright flavors. To start, our table tried the oysters of the day (two east coast varieties Blue Point and Chedarsomething, and two Pacific varieties Hood Canal? and Hama Hama), the Artichoke and Oyster Dip and the Fried Ipswich Clams. The dip was nice and the oysters especially the Pacific ones got a thumbs up. But the fried clams, ah, the clams they were something else. In a word, perfect. Very lightly floured and quickly fried preserving their texture and flavor. Just a beautiful briny, crisp, hot mouthful. And the accompanying sauce was the perfect creamy, horseradishy pairing for the clams. We fought for every crumb. For dinner, we tried the halibut, the bouillabase, the soft shells and the lobster roll. I'm not that crazy about halibut 'cause I think it is kinda blah but this was cooked perfectly and had a nice tomato salsa to give it a little zip. The bouillabase has a generous amount of mussels, clams and scallops and had a nice depth thank to the lobster stock. And plenty of fennel. The only thing I'd do different is serve it with a rouille. I think a good garlicky rouille is essential. The soft shell crabs were two to an order and just quickly pan-fried. No breading. No heavy sauce. Nothing to hide that essential crabby goodness. A few summers back, I went to Maine for a week and couldn't believe how cheap the lobsters were. I devoured lobster rolls like a madwoman. This was better than anything I had in Maine. The lobster roll was overflowing with big chunks of lobster (both claw and tail), studded with celery and lightly bound with mayo. And the bun bore marks from the grill. Love that. No desserts yet but I strongly suggested to the serve that they add a lemon tart or perhaps a summer berry trifle layered with lemon curd. Anything lemony. Only beer and wine for the moment but my feeling is that a cold beer is the best pairing with Hank's simple, beach-inspired seafood anyway so I didn't miss the booze. The only thing I would change is the oyster bar itself. It is a bit, err, bijoux. Really small. After all, the place is called Hank's Oyster Bar and I think it would make more sense to make that a more prominent feature. Maybe place it in the window a la J.Paul's. Dunno. Just my $.02. Anyway, go. It's good.