SobaAddict70

Grimes wrote a mini-review of The Restaurant in Friday's NYTimes. The last line is very telling, eh? Click here for the review. Soba

Don't know for sure. It's certainly been a trend at our corporate cafeteria. My firm's been pushing all these wellness plans (i.e., WW classes and low-fat meal options) and lifestyle choices (e.g., subsidized gym memberships) on the staff, although pls note its interesting that the sole vending machine in the entire firm is located in the cafeteria, and besides the "healthy" choices presented (i.e., granola, peanuts, dried fruit), there are the typical junk food options. Soba

Dave: JosephB's method is one way to go. How long you bake them for and at what temperature depends on how much tomato flavor you want in the final product. Also, the seasonings can vary but the staples are usually EVOO, salt, pepper and a tiny bit of sugar or alternate sweetener. An interesting variation I sometimes use is garam masala in place of the pepper, and date sugar in place of the sugar. Try it with a mix of turmeric, ginger and cumin. If you want the quick method, bake them in an oven for one hour at 300 degrees F, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the edges of the tomatoes shrivel and begin to caramelize. Be sure to cover or generously brush the tomato slices with oil. Made this way, the tomatoes will keep in the refrigerator for about four to five days. Generally, the longer the roasting time, the lower the temperature and the more concentrated the flavor. You can roast them at 200 degrees F for 10 hours if you want, but at that point I think they'd best be served as a garnish or condiment as the flavor would be this side of overwhelming. For a couple of recipes for tomato jam, click here, here or here (Note that I googled these.) Soba

Please? Pretty please? We post our inner cravings and bare our foodie souls ( -- just kidding) on the Dinner thread and elsewhere, so fair's fair, I think. More Momo trivia can't hurt either. Soba

Lessons in Cantonese (Daisann McLane) Baltimore Bliss (Bryan Miller) Diner's Journal: The Restaurant (William Grimes) A Norwegian's Hand With Fish and Seafood (Jonathan Reynolds) Recipes: 1. Kubbervik Scallops 2. Fish Soup for a Rainy Day 3. Fish Stock Cheers, Soba

Give us some clues, ok? Inquiring minds want to know. Soba

Try roasting them till they're caramelized. Makes for great snacking. Or sugo di pomodoro. Or as tomato jam. Or gazpacho. Or salsa/pico de gallo. Or... Soba

I may not have as many cookbooks as you guys, but I sure have you beat in at least one thing: Magic cards (cards for Magic: the Gathering). Well over 2500 cards by last count, and growing.... Soba

this is subject to change between now and the week before the pig pickin: spicy marinated olives (99% chance this WON'T be taken off the menu) French kisses (prunes and figs/dates, depending on what I can get) Oven roasted tomatoes (sliced tomatoes that have been seasoned with sea salt, cracked black pepper, EVOO and spices, then roasted until caramelized and slightly shriveled) Wilted greens (chard, cabbage and escarole, stewed with bacon fat, caramelized onions and a splash of balsamic or other vinegar) Soba

hm, well if you want Suzanne, I can bring the soaking liquor to the pig pickin'. Soba

Ditto what Adam said. Pig's blood is an essential ingredient for dinuguan, a stew of pork and offal cooked with pig's blood, vinegar, garlic and chiles. The pig's blood is usually added after the meat has been browned but before the vinegar is added. I usually add a couple of T. of vinegar to the container to halt the coagulation. Soba

oh, I understand it I think. I've just never done it. What, obscenity? We've survived worse on this site. Soba

Basic green salad, w/viniagrette (EVOO, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, maybe a little garlic) Soba

well then I have to get a pastry bag and pipe. why I don't have one on hand is easy: my baking skills suck, not to mention I've never handled a pastry bag in my life. I suppose you could say I'm the baking version of cabrales. Soba

A more interesting reality show might be the workings of a culinary school such as CIA or Le Cordon Bleu. But that'll never happen, since it would actually involve intelligence and real creativity. Soba

Uh, no. I live in the middle section of Manhattan. My stepfather died due to a heart attack due to complications caused by diabetes in conjunction with health issues that were partially caused by smoking (ok, he quit in the early 90s, but he had been doing it for at least 20+ years beforehand). I'm pretty rabid when it comes to second-hand cigarette smoke; I just keep it buried most of the time. The Mayor's ban is a good idea that while almost impossible to enforce with 100% consistency, is a great idea and a long time coming. Sorry, I just don't relish the idea of dying young, much less inhaling SOMEONE ELSE'S vaporized poison. Soba

I don't read the Post (I refuse to, actually, because the paper is so freakin' conservative/Republican/mind-numbingly predicatable!!!), so Page Six doesn't apply to me. Besides, these restos are places where one can go and get a good meal for $100 for two, which is what thereuare wanted in the first place, I believe. I've never had attitude at Lupa. Other views may vary. Soba

There's like one Boston Market that I know of in NYC. On 23rd, between Seventh and Eighth. One ff chain I'll never go to again is Popeye's. I thought I'd never say this of ff, but their food is way too salty, even for me. I haven't been to a KFC in ages, much less a Burger King. I think I stopped going to Burger King because one day I found that their fries weren't as good as McD's. Never been to an Arby's. I go to Wendy's on occasion, Taco Bell VERY occasionally. There doesn't seem to be any In-N-Outs in San Francisco. Soba

all right, so do I have to prep the foie? Does it come ready to use, or do I have to remove anything, like skin? What cooking will be involved? I imagine that cooking MUST be involved because foie is essentially liver. For the Armangac/cognac, how much should I use, and how long should the dates/prunes be macerated? Soba

to mogsob's list, I'd add the following: Le Zie Lupa Le Jardin Bistro Cornelia Street Cafe Zarela Florent Jarnac Wallse Meet Country Cafe (on Thompson Street, between Prince and Spring; French bistro, quite unknown)

I'm thinking of making French kisses as part of my contribution to the eGullet Yankee pig pickin at curdnerd's farm. The thing is, I've never worked with foie gras before and wouldn't know how to go about working with it, so any help would be appreciated. How does it come, do I have to prep it in any type of manner before cooking with it, and where besides D'artagnan (sp) is it available? How much, for instance, can I expect to pay for 1 lobe's worth of foie gras? How much do I need for French kisses? I was thinking of doing a version that uses dates instead of prunes, only because I loathe prunes and think dates would work just as well (unless someone tells me that the combo version of dates/Armangac and foie gras won't work. Do you stuff the dates before or after soaking? Help would be appreciated. Thanks. Soba

Are there any other types of po'boys, or are oyster po'boys the most common version? Soba

ok, I just revisited the thread. Rachel -- I'll change my contribution to something else then. I don't know what it will be, but I'm now leaning to a veggie (non-starchy offering) or maybe a selection of Indian chutneys. Should be interesting. Will be bringing spicy marinated olives. These are olives that will be macerated in EVOO, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes and some preserved lemon tossed in. This is a definite, so put that down on the list. Maybe dates stuffed with goat cheese. Not sure yet if this is in, since things will depend on how well goat cheese keeps if we're going to be travelling and its not going to be served for a while. If someone has a handy recipe for a French kiss and knows where I can get a good quality supply of foie gras, I suppose I could be persuaded to make them. I was thinking of a version that uses dates instead of prunes and is briefly soaked in Armangac. Soba

a peanut butter cookie. stuffed peppers for dinner, steamed cauliflower on the side. a banana for a book-end dessert. Poland Spring. Soba

Definitely the Cantonese version, although the Hokkien version comes a close second. My folks, who are from Fukien province by way of the Philippines, made a version that was close to the Hokkien style (no sweet potato though). A favorite topping of ours was stir-fried pork with minced garlic and fermented black beans, along with the obligatory scallions, sesame oil and ginger. Soba