SobaAddict70

Where to begin, where to begin? I don't drink out of personal preference and my experience at GT confirms why. It used to be discomfort with the effects of alcohol, now it has a lot more to do with the TASTE of wine than anything else. That said, I think I'll stick to mineral water in the future, which is what I usually drink anyway, when I'm dining out. Evian/Pellegrino/Perrier, or something of that ilk. Side note: I have visions of some French chef coming at me with a cleaver, saying "sacre bleu, mon dieu" but whatever. In retrospect, the foie gras, while daring in composition -- seared foie gras, glazed cherries, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar over dandelion greens, and the onion soubise -- I couldn't get away from a slight oiliness that permeated the entire dish, something that wasn't apparent until a few hours in retrospect. Overall, nicely balanced, especially the cherries as a foil to the foie gras, but I could have done without the oily feeling/aftertaste. As for the rabbit, there was an inherent problem with oversalting. Nicely roasted rabbit; however, the entire dish was overwhelmed with oversalting, both in the sauce and the olives. I've had a similar version of this dish at Craftbar, and there, the equivalent suffered from a surfeit of underseasoning. I'm not sure how the kitchen could have corrected their version, except to restrain the use of salt in the dish, knowing that the olives have an inherent saltiness to them. The peach tatin was your classic textbook fruit tatin with a crisp, flaky pastry base burgeoning with perfect slices of glazed peaches; accompanied by the black pepper ice cream and white peach sorbet, I'd say this part of the meal more than made up for the shortcomings in the rabbit. As for cabrales' dessert, I should note that there is a similar version at Eleven Madison Park that contains a lemon souffle tart, crepes with a lemon curd filling and light syrup glaze, a quenelle of lemon sorbet and unsweetened whipped cream.

I guess what I was looking for, or wanted to say, was if the consistency was there, both on repeat visits and also on their other levels. Sorry if you (or anyone else) misunderstood. We probably would receive less food -- there probably are less courses; I would think that the number of courses factors into the total price of the meal. For example, Sugiyama offers several levels, each having a certain number of courses. This touches on something I've been ruminating for a while now -- the perception that one has, at least here in the US, on the concept of value as related to the issue of quantity versus quality...but that's probably another thread entirely. Soba

Cabrales, JB has three levels of omakase: a $50 option, a $70 option and a $100 option. We went for the $100 option because I wanted to see what the restaurant was capable of at the highest level and if there was a comparison say, Kuruma Zushi. When I go again (and I will in the next few weeks or so, so anyone who wants to come along, please PM me), it will be interesting to see if a) they can replicate my first meal there and/or b) if their other levels of omakase compare, that is, if the intensity of those meals are comparable to the top level option. Soba

Their fugu was vacuum packed and cleaned out, so no danger of accidental poisoning. No mention as to a time frame reference re availability, but apparently Kazu has the appropriate licensing necessary.

To all of the naysayers of Jewel Bako, I have to say, you need to go there again because in my mind, this little gem is right up there with Sushi Yasuda. It may not be as authentic as Kuruma Zushi, but then you're not paying for "authentic"-ness. What you're paying for is high quality fish of impeccable freshness, French culinary techniques as applied to Japanese cuisine (the sashimi/sushi version of Nobu), and such attention to detail that you can't help but wonder where in the world have I been and when do I get to go again -- it's that good. I didn't take extensive notes of our meal, which is one of two mistakes I made this evening. The other mistake was not seating ourselves at the sushi bar -- something I will do on my next visit. The chef, Kazu, hails from Nagasaki and has had extensive experience -- I should note that JB used to serve fugu but does not do so at the moment -- from interaction with the waitstaff and our dinner, it showed in his presentation and composition of various dishes. We had the $100 omakase, which consists of various hot and cold dishes, a superb selection of sashimi, a chef's selection of sushi, two desserts and Japanese petits fours. As I did not take extensive notes, here are some highlights as I can remember. Tonight, they had as many as 50 varieties of fish, several specimens flown directly from Japan and other specimens, locally caught. Amuse-bouche: A small piece of cherry tomato, julienne of daikon radish and watercress, and a tiny piece of shrimp -- but this was not just any ordinary shrimp. This shrimp had a texture like tobiko and practically exploded in my mouth with flavor. Fresh non-cured anchovies, scallions, and shiso, with a yuzu dressing. My companion had a hamachi salad with radish, julienned cucumber and daikon (I think). O-toro tartare with creamy avocado sauce, topped with two thin slices of Kirby cucumber and a dollop of osetra caviar. This dish is one of JB's signature dishes, so please be sure to sample it during a visit. Tilefish from Montauk, scallop with shinmeji (sp) mushrooms, sauced with a hot oil marinade. Black cod topped with daikon radish -- can't remember the sauce -- served on a banana leaf. Steamed eel (can't remember the garnish), sauced with a red wine reduction. Agedashi miso, with Japanese chervil and enoki mushrooms. Sashimi -- Copper River salmon, toro, Japanese striped bass, Japanese tailjack, bonito ebi shrimp, sweet shrimp, hamachi, and others that I can't remember. Freshly grated wasabi. Sushi -- toro; a type of toro marinated in sake and shoyu for several hours; a shiso covered bundle containing finely chopped hamachi with ginger and scallions (with a smidge of rice); Japanese striped bass, and several other specimens that I can't remember off the top of my head. Pristine uni. Coconut-litchi sorbet garnished with a fried lotus root chip. Assorted mousses -- roasted soybean, green tea, dark chocolate, and two others. Japanese petits fours -- peanut candies, green tea cookies, and some sort of clear gelee served with miniature sugar crystals. We drank green tea and sparkling water. I don't drink, out of personal preference, although this type of food was made for the finest sake or white wine imaginable -- so perhaps some of the more experienced egulleteers would be willing to try? We stayed there for a little over four hours -- every second worth it. The room is a small, intimate affair, with an overarching "roof" of bamboo, and enhanced by soft, muted lighting. A glass wall partition separates the front section of the restaurant from the sushi bar in the rear. Tables are spaced far enough to allow for intimate conversation (the sound level does not get uncomfortable, factoring in the soft jazz played in the background), while allowing for privacy. JB does not usually accept walk-ins, most seatings are reservation only.

As a brief tangent to the "Foods you would like to see Americans eat/be exposed to", of the other regional cuisines in Italy, which ones do you think are more accessible to the typical American (by "typical", I mean someone who has already been exposed to authentic Italian techniques or at least foods common to Tuscany -- parmagianno reggiano and prosciutto di Parma to name two). Is there some sort of phenomenon, do you think, that's partially or wholly responsible for the (over)emphasis on Tuscan regional cuisine in the United States over the past decade? I would like to see more exploration into other regional cuisines, such as Apulian, Venetian and Sicilian. Thank you for your time.

Wilfrid, if you ever happen to bring your version to a pot luck or if you're having guests over for dinner, keep me in mind. Its one of those "to do" things on my list, but not sure when I'll get to it. How many legs go into a jar? Are they big legs? I've never done any canning or anything like that (although I did make garlic vinegar once), so is there anything I should watch out for? hehe...this is my new project for this winter, making confit for the first time. no no, not tomato confit, but the real thing. SA

That's absolutely amazing, John. Cassoulet, like Peking duck, is one of those dishes that I just dream about making. Unfortunately, it seems so labor intensive that I've relegated it to dreamland -- that, and not to mention that I wouldn't know the first thing about making duck confit, much less rendering its fat, which correct me if I'm wrong, is the key to the entire puzzle. Speaking of Peking duck, that's probably something I'd like to try making in my lifetime -- but short of blowing air through a bamboo tube to separate the skin from the meat, brining the bird, and hanging it up to dry in the shower stall for up to three days, I think I'll keep dreaming about it for a little while longer. Talk about the ultimate in impressing someone. *sigh*

Why only once a year? It can't be that difficult to make.... Where in the world do you get pig's lungs, and what do they look like? Got a recipe? ------ Do beef cheeks qualify as "offal"? Where does one get some? Are they gross to look at? hehe

Wow, that's interesting. Embutido in our family was usually for special occasions. I just made it last night because I've had a hankering for it for some time. Also, I had meatloaf at America* recently, so maybe that also provided the impetus for it. *This is a super diner, sort of like Florent on major steroids -- its located around 19th or 20th Streets and Broadway, near Union Square Cafe. They even have peanut butter, marshmallow fluff and banana sandwiches on the menu!

That would depend on the person's personality and his or her taste. I'd have a hard time deciding between Italian and non-Italian. If Italian, I'd have an even more difficult time deciding between northern Italian (which tends towards more French/Swiss/Germanic influences) and southern Italian (more of a Sicilian/Moorish/Mediterranean influence). It would also depend on the time of the year. If for example, it was winter, I'd probably shy away from pasta and make something more substantial. Sorry for the vagaries...this is a glimpse into my thought processes. If this were a dinner party, it gets slightly more complex. I would strive for consistency of flavors, without unnecessary duplication of ingredients. I feel that the appetizer sets the tone or course for the entire meal. There's nothing more jarring IMO, than wildly contrasting flavors or dishes from one part of a meal to another. (Note from Soba: this is one reason why I feel that with very few exceptions, fusion restaurants are a poorly executed concept.) In any event, simple is best, so here's an idea: Chicken Broth with Fava Beans, Peas and Mint Tagliatelle with Asparagus, Porcini and Herbs Orange-Lemon Sabayon (ok, it's not exactly Italian, so sue me...=P) Biscotti If non-Italian, well...I'd probably go crazy, so I'd just as soon stick to tried and true classics like coq au vin, rice pilaf, and steamed vegetables finished with almond or cashew butter*. *This is just softened unsalted butter that I've mixed with blanched, chopped almonds or pulverized, ground up cashews. Mix the the butter and the nuts thoroughly. You can choose to season the butter with a dash of white pepper (this is optional). Form the butter into a log or brick and chill. After the vegetables have been steamed, return them to a heated pan which already contains about one or two pats of the nut butter. Toss the vegetables together until coated with the butter, about 1 or 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Liza, my problem is that I routinely get off from work around 6 pm or later, not to mention travel time is involved, so farmer's markets at those locations are definitely out, unless the US Greenmarket is still open around 7 pm on a Friday....I think not. Weekends are the way to go for me. Rhea, embutido sounds just about right. Filipino food frequently uses raisins and other fruit in dishes. For example, my mom also makes menudo -- no relation to the Mexican dish of the same name. Menudo in my family is basically a ground beef stew equivalent of embutido, but with slightly different ingredients -- ground beef, onions, potatoes, carrots, chickpeas, raisins, tomato paste and bay leaves being the key players. As for embutido, your imagination is the limit as far as what you can put inside the meatloaf.

yes that's definitely it I go to Chinatown to get choy sum, but if anyone can point me to a more convenient location (I live in east midtown) that would be great... Wilfrid, I think there is a Spanish version of the meatloaf, but have to do some basic food research here. Remember, the Philippines were a Spanish colony for 500+ years, and also briefly occupied by the United States and also Japan, so there are those culinary influences as well -- I say "briefly" because their periods of occupation were relatively short, compared to Spanish rule. I would say that the Japanese negimaki (the rolled beef dish that's sliced into rounds, with a center stuffing of spinach and other veggies) comes to a close approximation. SA

Thursday: What I call Filipino meatloaf, but the name escapes me at the moment (Jaymes or anyone who has experience with Filip. food, help?); its basically meatloaf, but has whole hard boiled eggs, raisins, carrots, chickpeas, and other seasonings. Some versions tie it up with string, presumably to keep the thing from falling apart if you don't cook it inside a bread pan; I don't. This is one of those dishes where you never know what you're going to end up with, sort of like the Asian version of that New Orleans Fat Tuesday tradition -- you know, the cake that's served with a coin hidden inside it, and whomever finds the coin is "king for a day". Steamed brown rice. Stir-fried green vegetable with garlic and a T. of spicy red bean paste -- (I can't remember the Chinese name -- Jinmyo, help? Its the one where you find yellow flowers still attached. It looks like bok choy but its not). Soba

you know, I've never had chitlins (chitterlings). most ppl I know dunk lots of hot sauce on them, presumably to kill the taste of whatever might be left inside. Anyone have experiences with them? Is this something you have to travel down South for, or are there good/passable versions here in NYC? As someone who likes dinuguan (a Filipino stew composed of pork, beef hearts, pig's ears, liver, chicken gizzard, pig's blood, vinegar, garlic and chilies; in fact its one of the few Filip. dishes that's made with chilies and gets better the second or third day ahead), I am definitely no stranger to organ meats. hehehe Then there was the time I ordered tripe soup at Little Poland (a restaurant on Second Avenue in the Village), much to the chagrin of some of my friends, a little tidbit that they will never ever let me forget to this day...

I'm really amazed at how many dishes in Italy, particularly Tuscan food, use bread in one form or another. Minestrone invernale comes to mind -- the version I often make uses a piece of hearty bread (try salt-free bread if you can get it), rubbed with a clove of garlic as a base. Place the slice of bread in a warmed soup bowl; ladle some minestrone over; top with a drizzle of EVOO. Summer minestrone differs from winter minestrone in the quantity and variety of vegetables used. The bread is optional; in the winter version, it serves to boost the heartiness level of the soup up to a "stick-to-your-ribs" version. Another difference is that water is used in the winter version, as opposed to stock in the summer version. Here is a recipe for minestrone invernale ("winter minestrone"): from "The Classic Italian Cookbook" by Julia Della Croce (1996, Dorling Kindersley Limited) 1/3 c. (90 ml) EVOO (*extra virgin olive oil) + extra for toast 1 large onion, chopped 2 large potatoes, peeled and finely diced 1 small savoy cabbage (cavolo verza), shredded 2 medium zucchini, finely diced 2 celery ribs with leaves, chopped 6 oz. (175 g) string beans, trimmed and cut into pieces 1 lb. (500 g) winter squash, such as Hubbard, butternut or acorn, peeled and diced 2 c. (500 g) fresh or canned drained tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 1/2 head cauliflower, broken up and cut into slices 1 c. (250 g) dried haricot beans, soaked and cooked OR 1 lb. (500 g) canned beans, rinsed and drained 8 c. (2 l) bean cooking liquid (if used) or water 2 bay leaves 1/4 c. (30 g) chopped fresh rosemary, oregano and thyme OR 1 t. each dried 1 T. salt and 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper 12 slices stale robust Italian or peasant bread 4 large garlic cloves, chopped into quarters 1. Warm the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and potato. Saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and the potato leaves a starchy film on the pan, about 8 minutes. 2. Add all the vegetables, the beans, cooking liquid or water, herbs and seasoning. Simmer over medium-low heat, partially covered, until the cabbage is tender and the other vegetables are cooked through, about 1 1/2 hours. Check the seasoning. 3. Rub the bread on both sides with the garlic, then toast it lightly. Drizzle each slice with plenty of olive oil and place two slices in each soup plate. Pour the hot soup over the bread and serve. Serves 6. Note from Soba: I prefer to use regular OO in place of EVOO initially, and use EVOO on the bread instead. You can also vary the vegetables to reflect availability at the market. The ones listed in the above recipe are a guide, in any event. I view soup and stews as comfort food, on the same level as say, macaroni and cheese, home fries, and chicken pot pie. Perhaps this is because in my family, soups such as bone marrow, beef and vegetable soup were such a big hit; certain childhood favorites dishes such as kari-kari (oxtails and vegetables in ground peanut sauce) and adobo lechon (pork with garlic, vinegar and peppercorns) are essentially stews. I would be interested in hearing about other members' favorite soups and stews, and recipes for either, if any. Soba

Not in my experience. Perhaps the level of spicing in the pasta was not quite equal to your wife's palatal sensitivity...it happens. On occasion, the kitchen is off, but this has rarely occurred to me. Now, if you were talking about Po...that's a completely different story. Sounds like another visit is in order. SA

Best way to peel a clove of garlic (this works well if you have a Chinese cleaver, but regular knives work also): With the blade facing away from you, lay the knife flat on the board with a clove underneath it, and "gently" or lightly smash the knife with your palm. Do this once or twice, and the skin should come away from the clove, making for easy peeling. As for storing, I may be less versed than others (Steve Klc?), but best thing is to store in a cool, dry place at room temperature. I usually let it just sit on a shelf in my kitchen. Soba

I was looking through my cookbooks last night as I was making dinner (both for further ideas, and also because cookbooks remain one of my fave things to read), and came across a Tuscan dish that's been around since the mid-19th century: beans and caviar. In this particular instance, its white beans tossed with caviar. Will post the recipe later tonight, if anyone's interested.

Last night: Linguini w/ chopped fresh tomatoes, a handful of torn basil leaves, 1 T. of chopped red onion, topped with a drizzle of EVOO; salt and pepper to taste. Strawberries with cracked black pepper over vanilla ice cream.

Antipasti in the sense of an appetizer course. Not primi or secondi*. Primi is often referred to as "the pasta course". Secondi is sometimes used as "the main course", or at least the course where beef/chicken/fish appears, more substantial fare. Either primi or secondi can be seen as "entrees" or "the main course", I suppose. Btw, risotto and gnocchi by themselves are served as primi. Then you've got risotto alla milanese as an accompaniment to osso buco. Confused yet? *I'm not sure what the usage is in Italy, but that's been my experience on this side of the pond.

I grew up hanging around libraries and book stores, you might say I was your typical bookworm. And I think, that's where I discovered that I liked reading about food, how it was prepared, different dishes, etc. One of my favorite series was the Little House on the Prarie stories by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The stories in the books go into a great deal of detail which is never seen on the TV show, for those of you who happen to be familiar with that bit of American pop culture. I was surprised and still am by how much of Laura's work revolved around food. There's one chapter I'm thinking of in particular where she describes making candy out of snow and boiled maple syrup; another where she writes about churning butter, and coloring it yellow from soaking grated carrots inside a cheesecloth in the churn. It was only a natural progression from there that I graduated to back issues of Gourmet magazine and cookbooks. Many of you may remember the hardbound Foods of the World series by Time-Life books that were published in the middle 1960s to early 1970s. James Beard co-wrote many of them, in particular the volumes on regional American cuisine. Part travelogue, part cookbook and part cultural expose, it opened my eyes to the larger world beyond. Yes, yes, I know it sounds corny, but you have to realize how much of a bubble I grew up in. I mean, for example, speaking from a musically POV, I'm discovering bands that some of you may have grown up with -- bands like Led Zepplin; Pink Floyd; and Earth, Wind and Fire. I didn't start listening to the radio until the mid-1980s....part of it was because I wasn't aware of things, part of it was from not having a wide circle of friends who could expose me to pop culture, part of it was because I was still adjusting to American society (I was born in the Philippines and came to the U.S. in 1975). It was only around this time, in the mid-'80s, as I was entering adolescence that I was rapidly becoming Americanized. Anyway, back on track: I then started watching cooking shows, namely Julia; Madeline (Kamman); Jeff Smith (who btw, is probably a good cook, but IMHO, talks more than cooks); the Great Chefs series; Jacques Pepin; and others. I took home ec courses in high school, and even considered applying to CIA* (something I'm contemplating even now, btw). To make a long story short -- I'm skipping over a lot of details -- the above is to give y'all a bit of contextual background -- I guess I learned how to cook mostly by watching cooking shows and reading a lot, and mostly by teaching myself. I don't have a lot of formal training -- for example, my knife skills are practically non-existent, I don't know how to debone fish and chicken, much less carve a turkey, but I do know basic saucemaking, stocks, what deglazing means; how to transfer dough to a pie pan; the differences between kosher salt, fleur de sel and sel gris, among other things. Like Jinmyo, I don't think I (or anyone else) could ever stop learning how to cook. Its a constant process that, as time goes on, enables you to become better. I think the best cooks/chefs are those who love what they do and are genuinely interested in food and all things gastronomic. *CIA is shorthand for the Culinary Institute of America. I am not necessarily thinking of applying to CIA, but rather to a recognized cooking school that may open doors for me upon graduation, to apprenticeships, etc., assuming I choose to go this route. Before I commit to something like cooking school, I'm weighing debt and lifestyle options -- I'm in a comfortable job at the moment, but am considering going to either grad school/law school or business school. However, none of those options leaves much room for liking what I do, whereas cooking school does, the payoff being salary possibilities. This is probably another thread, but anyone who wants to PM me, please feel free to do so. Soba

That's not to say that pasta can't be an antipasto...although it isn't done as often... Some bruschetta I've come across: chicken liver mixed with dried apricots and a splash of balsamic viniagrette (this is one of Mario B's. dishes adapted to bruschetta) radicchio, roasted peppers, EVOO and basil fresh anchovies, garlic, EVOO and plum tomatoes broccoli rabe, garlic, sweet sausage, oregano