SobaAddict70

welcome to e-gullet, Tom we're not all gourmets on this site, altho we do all like (or love) food and cooking, etc. I'm sure Wilfrid can give you a recipe for chili, I just don't have one on hand (or much experience making it) -- but one thing I do know is to never use a packaged mix, too much fake stuff if'n you know what I mean good luck in making the chili

Or you can cook the sauce a minute or two more than you did this time, then the leaves won't be al dente. The pasta with sprouts and fried bread crumbs will be my contribution to the e-gullet dinner. You'll get some e-feedback for sure...woot woot.

No plans tonight on what to cook -- gonna be a night out at Republic (rated #95 on Sietsema's list of cheap inexpensive Asian places in the Village Voice), and then a screening of Episode II later on. From what I hear, you either love it or hate it.... Saturday (plans subject to change but I have a hankering for this): stir-fried ground pork with scallions, Chinese black mushrooms, ginger, and hoisin sauce; broccoli and snow peas with mushroom soy; Szechuan pickled turnips; steamed rice. (Note from Soba: you can get the pickled turnips from an Asian specialty food market. A really good one is Kam Man, the giant Chinese superstore in NYC's Chinatown, located on Canal Street (I think its near Mott Street, but can't remember exactly where, although you can't miss it). I have friends coming over for brunch on Sunday. Yeah, yeah I know its not dinner, but I'm not gonna be home since I'll have to be in the office later that evening, so sue me. Brunch: French toast, served with a Calvados spiked apple compote; omelettes with chorizo, avocado, and roasted cherry tomatoes; home fries; chipotle, citrus, and roasted tomato salsa (on the side). I'll make the compote and the salsa on Saturday, to let the flavors in both dishes meld; everything else is pretty straightforward. The batter for the French toast will have a teensy bit of Calvados, just for kicks.

What's the menu again? And when? I can probably join, if the potluck's on a weekend. It'll be a main course type of thing, something us mere mortals can do. And can I make use of the facilities on the premises? Pot lucks and I don't mix if I have to do the cooking off-site. It's the travelling thing, ya know.

Star Wars: Attack of The Clones

Eeek! The Voice hates SW: AoTC as much as any of the other papers/publications. I hope tomorrow evening won't be a disappointment, a certain computer generated frog-faced abomination notwithstanding... I'm still waiting for Sietsema to review a Filipino restaurant (if he hasn't already). Ya see, there's a national dish called dinuguan (sic) that's a stew composed of chopped beef hearts, pork, chopped liver, gizzard, vinegar, garlic, chilies, and pig's blood that's popular with us Filipinos, and along with adobo rellenong (chicken cooked in a sauce of vinegar and garlic), pancit (glass noodles or vermicelli with pork/shrimp/veggies), and pakbet (dried shrimp, garlic, bitter melon, okra, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, patis (fish sauce), and dried shrimp paste), these are sure to be on the menu. In fact, restaurant made dinuguan doesn't compare to my mom's version (which I haven't had in YEARS...in fact she doesn't make it any more now that she's been thoroughly americanized, but that's another topic/can of worms). If there's a dish that's guaranteed to shock anyone out of their (American) sensibilities ( ), this is it. So far, I've been to only one Filipino restaurant that dared to make dinuguan -- and that's the one on First Avenue near 13th St. Not sure if it's still there, but their version didn't even come close. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best, it was about a 7, and I'm being generous. Not enough vinegar to cut the richness of the sauce, if memory serves.

First, one container of sprouts is sufficient for three or four people. If they're hearty eaters, then consider one and a half containers worth. When prepping the sprouts, half each sprout and slice off a little portion of the base. You're going to de-leaf each and every sprout so that you'll end up with approximately 2 cups of sprout leaves and finely minced cores per 1 container of brussel sprouts. By "cores", I mean the pithy center core of each sprout, which you'll mince or chop finely. Since the mass of sprouts will have been reduced to leaves and bits of core, no blanching or parboiling is needed. Just brown the onions and garlic, add the red pepper flakes (and anchovy if you like, wait for the anchovy to disintegrate before adding the sprouts); then add the leaves and cores. Saute over medium-high heat for a few minutes, then cover and turn the heat down to medium-low, cook until the leaves are bright green and the cores are softened slightly. Trust me, your house won't smell like cabbage when you're through. Finish with salt and pepper to taste, and a drizzle (or as much as you like) of EVOO.

Ah, well. It struck me as a little much that he chose Sugiyama for his "this-place-is-so-expensive-that-only-stuck-up-food-snobs-or-elites-with-fat-wallets-could -ever-eat-there" review. I mean, I don't see him poo-poohing Patria or any of the other "expensive ethnic" places. Why couldn't he have reviewed the place on its own merits? *sigh* I was first introduced to the concept of kaiseki cuisine several years ago, after learning about the Japanese tea ceremony where it originated, and all its accompanying nuances. That a place like Sugiyama (or Kai, or any other place mentioned on egullet) exists in NYC is exciting and refreshing, and I can't help thinking that a piece like Mr. Sietsema's does a disservice to both the restaurant and the Voice, depending on your point of view. (note: I've been to Sugiyama only once! mind you, but will be back there in a month or so probably due to all this discussion)

The nice thing about being stuck at the office as I have been for the past several evenings in the last two weeks is that I don't have to worry about clean up. The other side of the coin is that the food never comes up to par, and I never (rarely) get a chance for seconds. Sunday: broiled pork chops; spicy cranberry chutney; mashed potatoes; steamed broccoli; fresh fruit. Made a huge pot of minestrone (meatless winter version) for impromptu midnight snacks the rest of the week. Last night: baked halibut with tomatoes, Kalamata olives and onions; spiced lemon rice; green beans and almonds, with a drizzle of almond oil

What he said! Seriously though, yes, that's the impression I received upon taking a close reading of Mr. S's "review", that the BEHAVIOR of the patrons mattered more to the overall experience than the food/decor/service, etc. I agree that projection is sometimes necessary for the reader to make an identification with whereever you happen to be reviewing (certain of Ruth Reichl's reviews spring to mind -- i.e., Tabla, Le Cirque 2000, Kuruma Zushi, the one where she's describing a patron of certain means regarding a dish of sevruga caviar (the name of the establishment escapes me at the moment)), and such projection usually amounts to a few lines at best. However, I can't help but wonder why Sietsema chose to review Sugiyama in a forum best suited for its polar opposite.

If the point of Mr. Sietsema's job is to inform the general public on the merits or lack thereof on any given restaurant, then Mr. S has no business describing the other patrons. It seems to me that his purpose was to focus less on the food/atmosphere at Sugiyama than a statement on how the other side of the coin behaves (read: people who don't fit the profile of "a Village Voice reader", whatever that is) while at a place like Sugiyama (or Le Cirque 2000, or Lespinasse, or any place where the bill may exceed the amount of an atypical New Yorker's weekly expenses). Note how many lines in Mr. S's review focus on the food, etc. and how much space is devoted to something that has no bearing on an atypical experience at Sugiyama on any other given evening. Why interesting? It seemed to me that the inclusion of his description was in poor taste; if the restaurant had been someplace like Vong or Nobu, you can bet that Mr. Sietsema would've never included his description -- I mean Asian fusion just doesn't hit the weirdness category or strike the same note as fingernail-long crabs and steak cooked on a hot rock. I'll get off my soapbox now. Time for lunch.

huh? The rock? I don't get it...

True dat, but I guess what I really meant was that sometimes or a lot of times, "ethnic" is a euphemism for "inexpensive" or "unsophisticated cooking techniques", and I wanted to point out that the two don't necessarily jive. Unfortunately, moi doesn't have a car, so its still gonna be 3+ hours round trip. If only the schlep took less time, then I'd see. For instance, Peter Luger's is not out of the question (somehow I'd say that PL would never be out of the question even if it were in Middle Village or Bayside and not in Williamsburg); neither is Sriphipai (sic) or any of the really good Greek/Egyptian/Albanian/Yugoslavian/Turkish places in Astoria. But a mediocre German beer pub in the middle of bumf**k Staten Island doesn't cut it for vehicularly deprived people such as moi.

Steve P. -- I've been to quite a few of the places on his list but don't see it based on any sort of preference-based scale. If it were, then Mr. Sietsema needs to be a little more discriminating in his use (or perhaps "underuse") of appropriate adjectives, adverbs and descriptors... Republic may have been a scene when it first opened, and IMHO it's still a scene even now, but (also IMHO) doesn't deserve a 95 ranking. Arguably it could go lower (perhaps slightly), or also have been left off the list. Grand Sichuan (ranked I think at 16) deserves a much higher placement IMO. And he didn't even go after the Kung Pao (Bao) Chicken or the poetic sounding dishes! What's up with that? I don't know about you (or anyone else) but I'm not going to schlep 1.5+ hours to Staten Island in search of that perfect plate of Sri Lankan cuisine. 1.5+ hours = waiting time for the subway and ferry, not to mention the trip time itself and the time it'll take to get to Victory Blvd., whereever that is. You'd think that for the #1 spot, that the Honorable Mr. Sietsema would choose some place more accessible.... Where is Big Wong in all of these? Cheap it is. "Charming" decor it has. Well-executed Cantonese BBQ meats it does. Apparently Mr. Sietsema thinks not... Ethnic doesn't necessarily mean "simple cooking techniques". What about Honmura An, Patria, Zarela/Veracruz, and Joe's Shanghai? Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) aren't exactly "simple"...

I find that if you simmer the sauce uncovered for about 15-20 minutes before covering it, that it takes care of the water separation problem. Of course, later on, turn the heat down and then cover or partially cover. But that's just me...

Just an observation: The rankings assigned by Sietsema MAY NOT be rankings in terms of best to worst but rather just a list of the 100 top blah blah blah according to Mr. Sietsema.

A latecomer to this thread: For rub options, I prefer a mix of butter/olive oil, and salt/pepper/paprika or just olive oil/lemon juice/rosemary/salt/pepper. Usually olive oil/salt/pepper and assorted herbs. Sometimes I'll slip cubes of butter or goose fat underneath the skin, for that extra OOMPH. I'll try the lemon wedges/onion mix for stuffing. Sounds fantastic. 40 unpeeled cloves of garlic and a few sprigs of rosemary or lemon thyme are how I usually go for stuffing. Sometimes I'll make any of the following for stuffing: cornbread (from scratch)/sausage/apple; (sweet) Italian sausage/roasted peppers and onions/rice; cranberry or other dried fruit/wild rice/roasted onions/chopped leftover cold chicken; aromatic root veggies/sourdough bread crumbs... Basting options include a mix of butter/honey/lemon juice, Vidalia onion marmalade/honey/white wine vinegar; olive oil and citrus juice; mushroom soy/hoisin/rice wine/peanut oil/minced garlic, ginger and scallions (note from Soba: go easy on the soy and hoisin)... time for some lunch

I like using whole peeled plum tomatoes too, but sometimes am too lazy to do the crushing.

you might try sauteing a clove of crushed garlic in 3 or 4 T. olive oil, to which add 1 can or package of CRUSHED plum tomatoes (I prefer Pomi, but others are good -- I can't remember the specific name I'm thinking of but recognize the can; its yellow/white/red/green on the label. Maybe someone else knows what I'm talking about.). Stir briefly, turn down the heat to medium-low, and cover; simmer for half an hour or until the sauce has thickened considerably. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and chopped basil, before saucing. Note when saucing: Drain the pasta first (do not blanch unless using later), then add the pasta directly to the pan; toss to coat. Note: You can add any additional seasoning before adding the tomatoes. You could try for instance, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a couple of anchovy fillets, or a handful of crushed oil-cured olives (or all of the above, if you were making pasta puttanesca). The possibilities are endless.

Yes, but it is from the elites that the rest of us little people can learn a great deal. Pearls, anyone? ::oink::

Had dinner at USC last Friday and took my Mom out for lunch at Eleven Madison Park yesterday. (for a side report of Craftbar, see below) Details are a bit fuzzy re USC, probably because the meal itself wasn't particularly memorable -- although my partner's filet mignon of tuna made a suitably distinct impression. Never have I seen a steak knife be used with a piece of fish -- and quite a hefty block of fish at that! More memorable was lunch yesterday at 11MP. Of all of Mr. Meyer's restaurants I've visited thus far (USC/Tabla/11MP), this one takes the cake as "a quick and easy entry onto my favorites list". Apps were sorrel soup with orzo, bacon and stewed fennel; I had an English sweet pea flan with morels and Bayonne ham (jambon de Bayonne). Can I second that egullet motto: I love morels. Mains were roasted free-range chicken with baby bok choy and crusted potato cake; and seared mahi-mahi with spring vegetables and rice pilaf. As for dessert, Mom opted for the dark chocolate creme brulee, but mine was the more interesting of the two: lemon assiete -- consisting of a lemon flan, bitter lemon sorbet with a peanut caramel tuille and warm lemon crepes with unsweetened whipped cream. Sheer heaven. Not bad for $85 (tax and tip included). Oh, and none of that bottled water crap y'all are used to. Funny thing, I've not experienced the roving bottled water patrol (yet), but as soon as I encounter one a'them platoons, I'll give y'all a report. Now, based on your experiences, what's the best thing for a first timer to get at Gramercy Tavern? Probably go there sometime in June. Side note: dinner last Thursday at Craftbar. If this is a taste of what's to come at Craft, I'll take it, although my partner was unimpressed. Chicken soup was the epitome of homemade Jewish penicillin -- chockful of vegetables and herbs, although we weren't expecting ground up chicken dumplings to take the place of shreds of chicken. A frisee salad with gorgonzola, bacon and walnuts seemed a tad too heavy with the chees-y creamy dressing. I felt I was eating an upscale version of iceberg with blue cheese glop. Fried stuffed sage leaves were scrumptious, made even more so by the gremolata topping -- minced Meyer lemon zest and garlic. Braised rabbit was quite the highlight of the evening: tender, falling off the bone, flavorful and served with oil-cured olives. Dessert -- ricotta cheesecake with rhubarb sorbet and compote. I'll take the sorbet anyday of the week. Dump the cheesecake and the compote. I sincerely hope Craft's space brings for a more sedate and civilized experience. Craftbar's too loud; in the space's defense, the foursome next to us were clearly the most rambunctious group in the entire restaurant. In fact, I could hear my partner once they left. Wow, fancy that.

Craftbar has a ricotta cheesecake served with a scoop of rhubarb sorbet and a tablespoon of rhubarb compote. Works wonders for me.

Just thought of a dessert I'd like to try doing at home but don't have the inclination to actually do it in real life: "Skyscraper" -- this is an actual dessert served in a Chicago restaurant from a few years ago, unfortunately the name of the restaurant escapes me since I saw it made on a "Great Chefs of Chicago" TV special. "Skyscraper" consists of three tubes of vanilla meringue that have been stuffed with chocolate buttercream, each of which rests atop a cloud of vanilla buttercream. The three tubes stand upright, supporting a pastry shell holding a miniature scoop of French vanilla ice cream. Raspberries are scattered across the plate, while swirls of passionfruit, pomegrante and raspberry coulis dot the perimeter of the plate. *sigh* I can only dream about it....

*sigh* tonight I'm stuck at the office -- fortunately, the client's paying for dinner tonight... Sunday: spaghetti with garlic, olives and herbs; salad of bitter greens and oranges with a citrus viniagrette; fresh fruit. Last night: asparagus quiche; green salad with a white wine viniagrette; a baguette with rosemary butter; apple tarte tatin.

Don't forget Julia Della Croce and Lidia Bastianich...