SobaAddict70

Mmm, probably not that much of a difference. When I make these, this is filling's usually made. Basically, just oil a pan with butter, pour in eggs (I prefer 3 beaten eggs and 2 t. cold water, salt and pepper to taste; lately, I've been making them with a ratio of 5 egg whites to 1 whole egg); cook eggs till partially set; spoon in as much filling as you like; fold top over bottom half and cook for about 20 to 30 seconds more; slide out and serve. Soba

Personally, I prefer my ratatouille as close to a jam-like consistency as possible. When I dip a spoon into the dish, the first taste should remind me of plump, luscious vegetables ripening on the vine on a lazy summer day. So, how do you like to make yours, and what do you like to serve it with? Soba

A stuffed omelette is basically an omelette with filling. My personal preference is to put in slightly more filling than necessary, and to serve the omelette without a hint of what's inside. It's a challenge sometimes to make the omelette so as not to let the contents leak through. Soba

They're useful (or essential) for certain Sicilian specialties like pasta con le sarde and also in Filipino food (i.e., embutido (meatloaf, stuffed with carrots, hardboiled eggs, Filipino chorizo and raisins) and menudo (beef, tomato, carrots, chickpeas and raisin casserole)). That's ok, more for me! Soba

Montrachet (Amanda Hesser) (from today's NYTimes DIGEST update. You may have to scroll down for the appropriate link.) The darling of Tribeca in the mid '80s is no longer a darling...at least according to Amanda's review. Whether it will rise to the occasion remains to be seen. What have your experiences been like? Soba

NYTimes Weekly Update Wednesday, 17 March 2004 A. Dining In/Dining Out Section Montrachet (Amanda Hesser) Click here to discuss the review or contribute your experiences. La Nacional (Eric Asimov) THE BEST: Cheesecake (Ed Levine) Sidebar: If you go to the New York Times Dining In/Dining Out home page, you can hear Mr. Levine give an audio presentation regarding his quest for the perfect New York cheesecake. Home of America's Whiskey (R.W. Apple, Jr.) Where Perfection Reigns Supreme (Alex Wichtel) Click here to discuss this article. At My Table (Nigella Lawson) A White Elephant That Can Slice Your Fingers In Half (Denise Landis) Wines of the Times (Eric Asimov) Sidebar: On the New York Times Dining In/Dining Out home page, you can hear an audio presentation given by Mr. Asimov, Amanda Hesser, Fred Plotkin (author of "Italy for the Gourmet Traveller") and Ed McCarthy (a prolific author, including "Italian Wine for Dummies") on barbera wines of Italy. Click on the box entitled "Barbera: Aromatic Harmonies" to begin the presentation. Sidebar: Pairings (Amanda Hesser) Recipe: Bagna Cauda Bits and Pieces (Florence Fabricant) The Minimalist (Mark Bittman) Corrections Recipes in today's section: 1. Chicken Noodle Soup 2. Potato and Onion Hash with a Fried Egg 3. Tiny Pancakes for Caviar 4. Tofu and Onions in Caramel Sauce B. Elsewhere in today's Times... Unlike Mother, Martha's Daughter (Constance L. Hays) Corporate Aid Re Agricultural Biotechnology (Andrew Pollack) Just Say No! -- To The Soft Drink Tax (Elizabeth Becker) Mixed Reaction Over Mad Cow Testing (Sandra Blakeslee) Gardens And Gardeners In A World Without Her Royal Domesticity (Ken Druse) Soba

Vietnamese night: pho green tea coconut banana cake Soba

Where Perfection Reigns Supreme (Alex Wichtel) (from today's DIGEST update. You may have to scroll down for the appropriate link.) Much has been made of Masa and the expense one must sacrifice in order to experience the sheer luxuriousness of it all. However, what's missing thus far has been an in-depth look at the man behind the mystery. The article tries to present Chef Takayama's philosophy in such a way that readers whose curiosity are piqued will want to know more -- and hopefully reserve. Thoughts, anyone? Soba

Amma, Diwan, Chola and Tamarind are four examples -- and none of them are in the villlage. If you want good Indian restos, you're gonna have to travel a bit. I'd also include Tabla in the mix -- whilst its not a traditional Indian restaurant, the experience is well worth the visit, as Floyd Cardoz's culinary style can attest to. Soba

Alternately, you could make a rice pilaf: Pan toast spices until fragrant, add chopped onions and clarified butter or other fatty substance, saute. Add rice, saute briefly. Add vegetable stock. Cook until liquid is absorbed; toss with slivered almonds prior to service. Soba

Try making fried rice (should work with brown rice just as well as white): leftover rice garlic minced scallions peanut oil light or mushroom soy toasted sesame seeds/sprinkle of sesame oil beaten egg (optional) Heat oil in wok or saute pan. Stir-fry garlic, add rice. Stir fry, add soy and minced scallions towards end. Remove from heat. Add egg to heated pan or wok. Cook until egg sets, then break up into egg shreds with chopsticks or wooden spoon. Toss with rice mixture; add toasted sesame seeds or sesame oil and serve IMMEDIATELY. Soba

I have to say that after experiencing Westside Market in Cleveland, Ohio, ANY food store in New York (yes, even Citarella/Fairway/D&D) will seem mundane and expensive by comparison. Too bad it's in Cleveland. Soba

Do you like potatoes lyonnaise? The cafeteria we had at my high school (class of 1988, New Providence High School, New Providence, NJ) made a REALLY good version of potatoes lyonnaise that almost seems like a gussied up version of home fries. These were sliced potatoes, fried in butter with lots of thinly sliced onions. Not sure whether they were par-boiled or prepared in some other fashion. They had that nice balance of crispness and tenderness that ludja talks about. This was sometimes a lunch special/veggie side. Now THAT was a real cafeteria. Soba

Oh well, guess I was confused. I just seem to remember the pizzeria on the NW corner of 1st and St. Mark's. (And I used to live a few doors away, in the early 90's.) All gone now, courtesy of gentrification. Soba

No... St. Mark's Pizza used to be located on the corner of St. Mark's and 1st Avenue. I haven't had one of their slices in many years, but they had a following back in the day. (It was ok by my standards but then I'm easy. ) Soba

A bit of a stretch, but not really. Soba

Not fried mashed potatoes, Jin. I mean homefries. One way to do it is to parboil diced peeled or unpeeled potatoes, then fry them in LOTS o'butter along with chopped or minced onions and peppers. I like them alternately fried till crisp and brown, or tender and falling apart, with lots of delicious grease mixed in. Bacon drippings are also great for making homefries. Soba

I have to say that falafel stands always hold a special place in my heart (probably because I spent most of my twenties as a college student at Hunter College). The falafel stand outside Hunter North (68th Street between Lexington and Park) served me well many an afternoon with a lunch of stuffed pita and a Snapple for $5. When I lived in Astoria, there was and still is a falafel/sandwich/shish kabob stand on the corner of Steinway Street and 34th Avenue that serves shish kabob sandwiches: marinated grilled chicken or lamb shish kabobs served on a stick OR in an Italian hero along with lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sauteed onions and peppers, deep fried eggplant, a couple of french fries for texture, a splash of white sauce, a drizzle of hot sauce, and a sprinkle of zataar and cumin. Bag that with a Snapple or a can of soda and you're all set -- all for about $6. There's a sausage truck usually parked on the corner of Whitehall and Pearl, about two blocks from my job. Wonderful grilled cheesesteaks, grilled Italian sausage sandwiches (hot and/or sweet), marinated chicken breast sandwiches with sauteed mushrooms, and grilled hot dogs. Not bad for $6. I'm hungry. Soba

The first time I had a stuffed omelette was in a diner in Staten Island when I was in my early teens. We used to live in Bayonne, New Jersey prior to moving out into the NJ 'burbs when I was 14. Anyway, Saturday mornings, my stepdad used to drive us out to have breakfast at a diner near the Staten Island Mall. Can't remember the name of the diner. I do remember however the omelette -- it was a Spanish omelette, redolent with peppers and tomatoes in a savory tomato sauce, with homefries and sausage. It was the first time I had ever conceived of an omelette served as something else other than plain. And lo, I was amazed. Since then, stuffed omelettes have been part of my breakfast/brunch repertoire. My favorite is when I can offer a selection of stuffings, especially if I'm cooking for my roommate or if I have guests over. Some favorites: 1. Spanish chorizo, avocado, roasted peppers, from scratch tomato sauce; 2. Flaked tuna (from a tuna fillet, not from a can!), sauteed with caramelized onions, capers, lemon zest and chopped Italian parsley; 3. Sauteed wild mushrooms in unsalted butter, along with minced shallots, white wine and sage; 4. Cheese: glorious, glorious grated cheese -- usually a mix of Cheddar, queso blanco and pepperjack or some other selection depending on what's in my fridge. And maybe a smidge of tomato jam. While we're on the subject of homefries -- a tub of oniony, peppery homefries is a thing of beauty. But why stop with potatoes and onions? For instance, I really dig sweet potato homefries, shot through with minced pickled jalapenos or poblano peppers. Share your omelette stories and regale us with your recipes for homefries. I know what I want for breakfast this weekend. Soba

Bedtime snack (at 3 am last night) was a halal chicken/lamb combo over rice with lettuce, tomato and fried eggplant from all night street vendor stand at 50th and Park. This was for $6 (combo w/a Sunkist). It wasn't spicy enough for me, so I improved things a bit with some calypso hot sauce at home. Where are your favorite street food vendors in NYC? Sausage trucks, taco stands and Chinese bao vendors count. Soba

These were amazing, served with hamachi sashimi, EVOO and a little fleur de sel, at Craft. Other than that, I'm not quite sure what to do with them. Soba

If the territory next to Ground Zero is a culinary wasteland, imagine what the territory one block from South Ferry is like. My work neighborhood, affectionately known as "takeout hell" all but shuts down after 7 pm. Afterhours is worst: there is across the street a McD's, a local deli (closes at 9 pm), bad Indian on Pearl Street (closes at 2 am), good Indian on Williams Street (closes at 8 pm), a Blimpie's, a Burritoville, and an all-night gourmet deli that is neither gourmet nor a cheap deli. *sigh* There was talk of a downtown revitalization back when Giuliani was mayor. It hasn't happened yet. Soba

NYTimes Weekend Update Friday, 12 March 2004 -- Mondau, 15 March 2004 A. Dining In/Dining Out Section and the Sunday Magazine Junior's (Sam Sifton) Click here to discuss the review or contribute your experiences. Long Island Vines (Howard G. Goldberg) A Cut Above (Julia Reed) Recipes in Sunday's issue: 1. Pork Chops With Dijon Sauce 2. Brine-Cured Pork Chops 3. Joe Major's Stuffed Pork Chops Restaurants: St. Patrick's Specialties B. Elsewhere in the Times... When The Dalai Lama Became The New Trader Vic (William L. Hamilton) The Upscale Martha Stewart (Tracie Rozhon) Click here for a related discussion regarding possible replacements for Martha Stewart. Aseptic Food Packaging (Kate Murphy) When Good Cholesterol Became Iffy... (Gina Kolata) Click here to discuss the article. Increased Testing For Bird Flu (Associated Press) Mexican Corn: The Newest Endangered Species (Elisabeth Malkin) The Kitchen Valkyrie (Joseph Horowitz) Have a good week, folks. Soba

But do they freeze well? And where was El Gordo in all of this? Soba

Actually, I was thinking of Anh, which is a Vietnamese place on 3rd Avenue (26th and 27th Streets). No matter; here's another example: Pam Real Thai Food. There are probably more -- it's just that coming up with a list of good "Thai" restaurants is really difficult, and that's a damn shame. Soba