glossyp

There is nothing I love more than a meal where no one is taking photographs, notes, etc. Since I write about food for a living, the opportunity to dine unfettered is increasingly important to me. After a couple of months of nothing but working meals, I can easily forget how delightful a meal focused on conversation and the relaxed enjoyment of the food can be. When I am working I tend to rely on memory, copies of menus and writing things down immediately after the meal as opposed to setting up "shop" in the restaurant - sometimes it is unavoidable but I try to keep it to minimum.

Having just gone through a month where my fil was "incarcerated" (his term not mine) at the hospital I know how depressing the food can be for the patient. Take the patient's likes and dislikes into consideration of course but things that worked very well for us were: Fresh fruit salads Homemade smoothies made with fresh juices and chunks of fruits we cut up and froze so we didn't need to use ice (which dilutes the flavor) or an ice cream-like product (unless he can have that). If it needs to travel quite a distance, you can freeze the smoothie prior to transport and by the time you reach the hospital it will be just right. Sandwiches made with soft multi-grain bread and various fillings including curried tuna, turkey salad with cranberry compote and smoked ham with a fresh mango cream cheese spread A particular favorite was a ham hock lentil soup with rolls made from the aforementioned multi-grain bread dough Roasted veggies including green beans, bell peppers, squash and mushrooms Linguini tossed with sundried tomato pesto, steak tips and asparagus Another thing which will help make him comfortable is to bring a setting of flatware to keep for his personal use in the room. You or the staff can wash it and store there. The utensils that come with hospital food are not substantial and annoying to use. I'm sure you'll get plenty of great suggestions from others as well. I hope your friend does well and recovers quicky!

I may well be one of the few who does not detest Mr. Bruni or his writing. I found his article very expressive. After reading it I felt that I had a better understanding of the dining experience at Alinea including the taste of the dishes he described. He seemed particularly respectful of Ferran Adria and acknowleged his brillance in distilling and melding the pure tastes of ingredients. Mr. Bruni touches on the sci-fi feeling of this culinary path which is an aspect of it I find personally appealing. To me much of what is being created by chefs like Adria, Canto and Achatz owes a great deal to technology, engineering and a forward thinking mindset. I would think this is an encouraging review to all those pioneering this road.

A vial. Great idea! Maybe I can find a rather scientific looking one, kinda like a test tube. That would be cool. ← might not want to get pulled over with that "i swear officer, it's just my fleur de sel" ← That was my first thought too! Carrying crystallized whitish substances around in a vial will certainly garner interest. How about a tiny silver spoon to use for delivery as well? Seriously, I think carrying your own salt is an excellent idea. I would suggest a small tin. My ex carries around dry hot mustard in a small tin to use at Asian restaurants. My mil carries her own chopsticks and a cunningly designed personal ashtray as well.

Interestingly enough there is quite a large community and a temple but it wasn't until an Indian chef who was working at one of the many hotels on island decided to stay on Guam that an Indian restaurant opened. The Indians on island are business owners and none of them had an interest in opening an Indian restaurant - they would just eat at home. There is a small but excellent grocery store (Nuts & Grains) where you can buy or order anything you need to make Indian food at home. One brief attempt to open an Indian restaurant in the eighties, complete with Tandoor, etc. closed quickly when the necessary immigration papers for the cooks, etc. were not forthcoming.

I realize you've selected Bali instead of Guam but in case anyone else is planning to be there, it might be helpful to know that there is actually a lot of excellent food on Guam. On an island of less than 150K people there are nearly 600 restaurants - not all of them could possibly be bad and I can assure you that the number of good ones is far greater than you'd expect. The best Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and Filipino food I've had outside of those countries themselves can be found there as well as a great French/Spanish country-style place and a couple of excellent contemporary bistros. There is even an excellent Indian restaurant which is fairly new on the scene. I presume that much of the negative comments stem from people who were on Guam for short periods of time or who didn't get out of the tourist area. Thai: Thai Kitchen, Sabai Dee Thai and Ban Thai Vietnamese: Mary's Korean: Korea Palace and Jin Mi Filipino: Mabuhay and Nayon Turo-Turo Contemporary: Firefly Bistro, Old Hagatna Grill French/Spanish: Le Tasi Bistro Mexican: Carmen's (she is from Sonora so the cuisine is Northern) Chamorro: Y Kuisina Indian: Curry Kebab Here is the link to a food website which is targeted at the local Guam consumer Guam Diner with an up to date restaurant directory plus reviews, etc. Of course, if you can get yourself invited to a local fiesta or family celebration - you'll really eat well! Edited, as usual, for bad grammar.

Aloha Laura B! What perfect brioche and lovely pictures. The craquelin sounds and looks absolutely delicious. I am going to try the minimum resting next time - I always presumed/assumed that longer is better but if your results are any indication, that is not the case. May I ask what type of flour you used? Thanks for posting and joining with us in our baking adventures!

Thanks for taking the time to write your impressions and some specifics regarding the food. Your comments regarding the level of ambition and standards the team is aiming for and apparently reaching already are praise indeed.

Interesting that no one has commented on that yet....I hope someone does soon! ← I see that I'm not the only one waiting for a tasting report - love the photos but not a substitute for what the dishes actually tasted like - we're starving here! edited for grammar

I like it as french toast eaten with coconut syrup - so sweet it makes your teeth hurt! Black coffee to wash it down and bacon for that all important protein.

The photos are fascinating but I want to hear about the food - same as the thread on Alinea - photos but no descriptions of how the food actually tasted. Though, in truth, we have a number of reports on El Bulli food previously. I await more info from Pim as this will be the first report I've seen of this season at El Bulli.

My first thought was to construct a beehive with cream puffs filled with a honey custard and drizzle a honey syrup over the exterior then decorate with the aforementioned marzipan bees. Lots of great ideas on this thread.

I made the marbled rye a while back (I think it's on page 3 or 4 of this thread) and it was so easy and really delicious as well. I made a spiral batard but FoodMan mentioned that he baked his in a loaf pan which I think would make it easier to use for sandwiches. How are you darkening the dark rye portion? I used instant coffee and it worked just fine without leaving any bitter taste. PR recommends liquid caramel coloring which I didn't have on hand but also suggested the instant coffee or cocoa powder. Enjoy your bread! Very cool that you are using Finnish rye flour.

I haven't been to Bali in a number of years but our food writer at GuamDiner.com did a tour last year with Continental. He wrote a series of articles but the one that you might find of most interest was about a cooking school/restaurant/resort Bumbu Bali. Unfortunately, since he was on a sponsored tour, he didn't get to explore many restaurants. He still talks about Heinz and the Bumbu Bali experience as the real highlight. Have a wonderful time!

I confess to a lack of salt appreciation. At present there are six different kinds of Japanese salts in the cupboard (courtesy of my dear Japanese mil), a variety of Hawaiian salts and Diamond Kosher. I use them all and, no doubt, appreciate none of them properly. I see that I must undertake a deeper understanding. The Australian salt peaks my interest. Anyone hankering for some Hawaiian salts feel free to PM me and we'll get some to off to you.

Years ago, when I first lived in Korea, the mail frequently took a month or more. The summer heat and humidity were brutal. My Mom would send cookies baked from a standard peanut butter cookie recipe and they arrived in fine condition. Other winners were oatmeal/raisin/nuts cookies and gingerbread. Good luck - I'm sure whatever you make will be truly appreciated.

Watched both episodes and haven't read any of the media reviews. OMG, but what is up with Ming Tsai's new style sense? It looks like he fell into a tub of LA Gel, then that awful necklace and shirt not tucked in - ewhhh - not to mention mangling that poor salmon. MR will be the salvation of the show. He is a paragon, nay a pillar, next to style/filet challenged MT and "could I be more full of myself" TE. The contestants are not as photogenic as other reality shows (PBS's way of demonstrating superiority perhaps or maybe they didn't wish to distract from the judges ). I'm looking for a dark horse to emerge from the pack and steal the prize. I wlll keep watching despite DH's disbelieving looks and sighs throughout the show - he did not the leave room though which he could have if he was truly annoyed!

Thanks for my first laugh out loud of the day!

I've made this recipe twice and it would be excellent for Philly sandwiches. It's not nearly as crusty as the French bread and has a soft crumb as well. Also easy to work with and shape as needed. I think you'd be happy with it.

I can't think of more festive place than L'Uraku of all those that you named. They are also accustomed to hosting such affairs and are great to work with on arrangements. I've been there more than a couple of times where members of the party were in a wheelchair and it was easy in and out. The free underground parking with elevator makes the parking situation easy which always has to be considered. Plus the food is excellent with plenty of choices. Let me think a bit about the private dining room - there is something nibbling in the back of my mind but I can't quite remember it right now. Anyone else with some suggestions?

Aloha Kimo! It would be helpful if you could provide an idea of the budget for the party say even a per head price so we can steer you in the right direction. Lots of possibilities and what fun for everyone!

After an unfortunate theft problem that happened at a restaurant, I never use my debit card anywhere it isn't in my hands at all times (unless it's in the atm machine of course) - identity theft is growing and I think andiesenji's explanation of why some of their local restaurants have turned to cash only is valid. I had to weigh convenience vs. losing money I couldn't afford to and convenience is not that important.

Thanks for the report! Please do give them your coleslaw recipe as you are quite right it was boring and bland. Now you've got me thinking about that cheesecake again and I have to figure out how to get some soon.

I rarely make cakes as I'm always baking bread or experimenting with bread. I do use cake mixes when I need to make a cake. The cost of eggs, butter, etc. for a cake that might fail is high when you're on a budget. Bread is a cheap hobby, thank goodness!

Aloha SuzySushi - There is indeed a new deli in Kaimuki. They opened the end of March and while I'm no expert on what constitutes an authentic deli, I took a friend who does along for a brief Dine & Dash. You can read it here. A Taste of New York We went back recently and their strong suit does seem to be the deli meats and sandwiches. A green salad I had was just average whereas the chicken salad sandwich was very good and reasonably priced. The big vats of pickles on each table are the worst kind of temptation too!