MsRamsey

Thursday isn't great, but it is a possibility. How was the Waterfront?

Anyone want to try The Georgian for dinner next week?

How much is the membership fee to join Direct Buying Service?

I have just returned from a lovely lunch at 727 Pine with Blue Heron and heyjude. I had the Kobe beef, which was so flavorful and tender. Also perfectly cooked to my specification of the rare side of medium rare, with a great crust on the outside. It's served with some pretty unexciting "red rice" and nicely grilled eggplant and haricots verts. My appetizer was an excellent crab salad. Blue Heron had the salmon, which is served with squash (I couldn't tell what type). She liked this very much. Her appetizer was a delicious celery root soup containing pieces of Smithfield ham. It was delicious; I think it uses LOTS of cream. Heyjude was a troublemaker and ordered the lovely Seafood Cobb Salad from the regular menu.

Sorry, you're wrong. Jeff Smith settled out of court several times, the last time with SEVEN accusers. The information is readily available. Look it up. Your first sentence I don't understand, nor do I think I want to. The complaint can be read here: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/frugal1.html

Thank you very much for your help, everyone. Kathy

Not just one. Scores of them.

I ate at Trio last week, and EVERYTHING tasted really fucking great. I don't know what the hell Missy was eating.

Many chocolatiers make chocolates with fleur de sel, and I've had a few different ones. And yes, I'm thinking it through in my mind's eye and with everyone's advice to see the best way to do it.

Maybe. . . Where in Seattle are these Fran's truffles sold? Thomas Haas in Vancouver uses fleur de sel, and I believe it's mixed in and not on top. In the "Haas Bar" it is definitely mixed in. Also, our truffle would (ideally) not be "salty." It would be very sweet with the occasional crunch and surprise of salt flavor.

Every December my friend makes truffles (and I assist). These are made as a home project and given to friends and family. When we discussed this year’s flavors, I think I may have convinced him to try making fleur del sel truffles. I do wonder about a few things, however. If one is making chocolates containing fleur de sel, one wants the fleur de sel to be crunchy when bitten. Does fleur del sel melt after a certain period of time in a somewhat wet environment, such as when it is embedded in ganache? My friend’s ganache tends to be somewhat softer than how some people might make theirs, due to a larger amount of cream. Would the crunchiness of fleur de sel be maintained for a couple of weeks, or would it melt? Would he need to adjust his usual recipe and create a "drier" ganache for these particular truffles? Also, how much fleur de sel should be used per, say, 1 pound of ganache? Does fleur de sel go better with milk chocolate or dark chocolate? (I'm thinking dark chocolate, but that's just conjecture.) Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Eh, I've eaten there probably 40 times over the last 6 years, and the food has slid WAAAAAAY downhill.

Paula, I can't find the cannele recipe on your website. Please help?

I'd like to know how too, since I haven't yet used all of my precious Everclear for other purposes.

Only 3 episodes have aired so far! I agree it's not great so far this season, but it's still better than most.

It's the worst convenience store IN THE WORLD, and it's right around the corner from my house. I've vowed for months that I was going to write an essay about it. They carry maybe some Dinty Moore, possibly a couple cartons of milk, some beer (that's in their favor, I suppose), and NO frozen pizza. Have you ever heard of a neighborhood corner grocery that didn't carry frozen pizza?

A better location would have been 19th and Aloha, where that sucky inconvenience store (Gilmore's Market) is finally gasping its last breaths. It's a densely populated area and close to Kingfish and Monsoon. Are you listening, Chef?

I think I'd take a fork with me!

You read my mind.

I wonder just where on Capitol Hill his restaurant will be. We could use some more good restaurants.

(In homage to tighe) I'd love to come along, but I'll be having dinner at Trio in Chicago then.

I had lunch a few months at Cafe Nola and thought it very nice. I can't really remember what we all had, though.

Sorry, Char. I know nothing about LA restaurants. I only know that I love tiki lounges and that I will defend Trader Vic's with a flaming pu-pu platter!

Culled from elsewhere: Patty's Eggnest in Wallingford is closing, to be replaced by the Sea Monster Lounge. That is the coolest name I've heard in ages!! I can't wait 'til it opens!

Um, I don't think so! Trader Vic's is still uber-cool.