SobaAddict70

You don't know me well enough to call me "sweetie", so keep the endearments to yourself. Since we're being honest and frank with each other, let me say that you couldn't have possibly been more patronizing ("re-read Evangeline") or condescending ("gumbo is a Cajun dish"), but somehow, calling me "sweetie" tops all that. Anyway, whatever. SA

I've never had a cheesy joe. (sloppy joe with cheese) Is this an (un)common variation?

It's not a competition. Are there commercial outlets for these things, or are they strictly home-made? Of course not, W. Either home-made, canned (Manwich), or from a diner -- you should beware one thing: a Sloppy Joe on a bun that falls apart as you consume it is a sad thing to behold. Cheap crappy hamburger buns are a definite no-no. SA

don't forget the mussels! That BB is killer. SA

Its certainly more palatable than toad-in-a-hole. Or colcannon for that matter. (Colcannon is basically mashed potatoes with HEAPS of butter, cream and cabbage or scallions.) A good sloppy joe beats a poorly made hamburger anyday. A well-made sloppy joe is about as good as an excellent hamburger. But that's just me. Hear, hear! SA

Soba, you tell that to the editors of Acadiana Profile -- The Magazine of the Cajun Country. Ah, but they're Cajuns. Not Creoles. hehe SA Gumbo is a Cajun dish, not Créole. Cajuns are the descendents of the French-speaking folks who were forced out of Acadia (Canada) -- go back and re-read "Evangeline." They became farmers and hunters -- relatively low-class. Créoles were sometimes described as persons of European descent (French, Spanish, Portuguese) born in the New World; but that group also included those in the upper class of mixed African/European heritage (think Jelly Roll Morton). Hehe yourself. I know that gumbo is a Cajun dish and not a Creole dish. Ditto for jambalaya and boudan. However, pain perdu is not Cajun. Thank you for the lecture on cultural origins. (Not to mention that I know where Cajuns/Acadians came from, and also Creoles. I suppose that's irrelevant, as far as you're concerned. Couldn't you try to be a little bit more condescending or just a wee bit more patronizing? I wasn't sure I managed to get a sufficient dose.) My point is that Creoles have a certain sensibility about things Cajun, or perhaps a more accurate statement would be to say that Creoles sometimes ignore Cajun traditions and make things their own way. *shrug* But what the hell do I know? Clearly, I'm shouldn't post on this board cuz I'm not worthy. SA

What's the best Sloppy Joes you've had? Is Manwich the only brand out there that gives you a reliable product (assuming you don't want to make them from scratch)? What are your recipes for Sloppy Joes? I'm also interested in places (in the metropolitan NYC area) that routinely serve them. Its not quite a craving on the level of a pregnant woman, but I've been thinking about it lately.... SA

Soba, you tell that to the editors of Acadiana Profile -- The Magazine of the Cajun Country. Ah, but they're Cajuns. Not Creoles. hehe SA

Butter chicken makhni (chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, then cooked in a tomato/yogurt gravy, finished with a pat of butter); spicy carrot rice (basmati rice, infused with sweet Indian spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves), mixed with shredded carrots (fried the carrots in ghee along with mustard seeds, cumin, and black pepper, until the carrots were soft)); date raita (chopped dates, chopped deveined and seeded chiles, yogurt, chopped cilantro); store-bought lemon pickle. Spinach, sauteed in EVOO, along with A LOT of minced garlic. Sweet (plain) lassi. SA

I thought that roux was made with flour and BUTTER. Shows you what I know. Also, I thought that a commandment of gumbo was to thicken it using either file or okra. Ditto re above. Finally, while seafood and meat (mixed) gumbos exist, you won't find any mixed types in a gumbo purist's kitchen. The prohibition against mixing meat and seafood in a gumbo dates from the tradition of strict observance of Lent, in Louisiana. You had your meat gumbos and your fish/seafood gumbos (usually served during Lent, or on Fridays), never a hybrid version. SA

I haven't been to a BBQ in ages. And every time I walk by, I'm frequently reminded why. Pet peeve numero tres: small tables with barely enough space to squeeze by and barely enough space to hold everything at once; pet peeve numero uno y dos don't apply to this post -- them being bad acoustics and inadequate lighting. Plus I'd rather go to Blue Smoke for bbq, Pearson's for the quasi-real thing, and out of state for the real deal. SA

You add it at service. And pls don't drizzle it. One DROP will do. Like real aceto tradizionale, truffle oil is meant to be savored, not wasted. Cheers, SA

Ditto for quorn. SA

Nothing too fancy: broiled skinless chicken breasts, rubbed with EVOO and pureed roasted garlic; steamed veggies (drizzle of EVOO, splash of lemon juice); couscous; cranberry chutney on the side. Green tea. Plums.

there's a version I make that's similar to phillaurie, but I use ground lamb instead of minced. I also add ketchup and a tablespoon of A-1 sauce to the meat. I pan-fry the lamb first in a large skillet, drain the fat off, and saute the aromatics separately. Sometimes I'll add peas to the mix, but its usually celery, carrots, onions (or pearl onions). The topping is usually whipped or mashed sweet potatoes, dotted with butter and nutmeg. SA

Yes, the apple crisp is tres excellent. However, the dated piano music is most certainly not. What can I say? I'll take wall-to-wall sound anyday over endless piano renditions of "Take 5". After the third go-around (in the space of an hour!!!), I wanted to throttle the guy behind the baby grand. SA

some of my favorites: asparagus risotto wild mushroom risotto (dried porcini, chanterelles, oyster mushrooms). this I serve with chopped fresh herbs, and a miniscule amount of cheese. the point is to taste the mushrooms but not be overwhelmed by the cheese. pumpkin and chanterelle risotto the famous "Milanese" (yes with beef marrow) SA

Neurotic people? I'm a stranger to this term in this context....so pls explain if you please. SA

Spaghetti with a sauce of chopped fresh tomatoes, EVOO, pureed roasted garlic, pancetta, red pepper flakes, and Italian parsley. Roasted figs, stuffed with ginger-infused mascarpone (mascarpone, with some finely chopped crystallized ginger folded in). Evian. SA

I had had a heavy lunch, and wanted something light (ok, well the she-crab soup wasn't light, but I'm also a big fan of soup. she-crab soup, done the authentic way, South Carolina style, is something worth ordering....but not in this instance. it seemed more along the lines of a warmed bowl of heavy cream, with an over-accentuated helping of sherry, and the token shreds of crabmeat floating in the bowl). When I received the bass, it was a 180 degree turn around from my expectations -- a little dry and overcooked; the bass rested on a bed of noodles and stir-fried vegetables surrounded by a tasteless pool of brown goop (their attempt at a lemongrass-ginger emulsion). I had expected something light -- the fish as a main centerpiece, the vegetables and noodles as sideshow players, but that's not what I received. SA

When in doubt, go for minimalism: EVOO, lemon juice, salt, pepper, maybe mustard if you want. If that doesn't grab you, what kind of dressings do you like? Thick gloppy ones, or thin, runny ones? Any food allergies you or your friends have? SA

we have two versions of meatloaf -- the American version and the Filipino version: the American version is simply ground beef, chopped onions, bread soaked in milk, a couple of eggs (the bread to add some body, the egg as a binder), and a ketchup-based glaze. the Filipino version has ground beef and pork, chopped onions, raisins, entire peeled hard-boiled eggs, carrots and chickpeas (no glaze on top). Its also called embutido. When you slice into it, you'll frequently have a bit of everything in your slice. SA

Jin, Sorry about the confusion. When I typed it in, I was at work. Its more along the lines of three minutes. Also, I usually roast the peppers first, then peel them. About 1 T. of melted butter and double that of EVOO, saute for 3 min. chix livers, a couple of anchovy fillets and some capers if you want. Maybe a garlic clove, finely minced. Add peppers and keep warm. Melt about 2 or 3 T. unsalted butter in a pan, add pasta and toss. Add liver mixture and toss. Scatter chopped fresh basil or a pinch of dried oregano if you want. Serve IMMEDIATELY.

try using white wine next time. makes a significant difference in the final product. also, when you're adding the stock (and this comes only with practice), you want to add it when the volume of liquid in the pan has reduced quite a bit. I can't define "quite a bit" in concrete terms, but basically you want to add more stock when you've seen that the rice has absorbed about half of the most recent addition of liquid. not sure if this makes sense. the finished product should have a creamy texture BEFORE the addition of butter/cheese/cream and still be al dente. SA

I managed to get out of the office early enough -- early being a relative term, as it was well past 8 pm by the time I got out of there. Tomato, paneer and cauliflower korma -- fried black mustard seeds in some ghee; added onions and garam masala, and fried until somewhat caramelized; chopped tomatoes, cubes of paneer I had made over the weekend, and cauliflower; finished with plain yogurt and light cream. Chopped sauteed cashews (sauteed in ghee with a bit of cardamom) added in at the end. Basmati rice (lemon juice and chopped cilantro before serving). Lurisia spring water, baby bananas. SA