Chris Amirault

It's pretty clear that, since the show hasn't actually aired, there's nothing really to discuss that is food- or food-media-related. As a result, most posts here simply correspond to just the sort of bashing that Gifted Gourmet mentioned, posts that don't contribute to the mission of eG Forums. Thus we're closing this thread down.

In the 90+ degree heat, I tried to muster the stamina to stand in line at the Clam Box yesterday, but, alas, we couldn't. My partner hadn't ever been to Woodman's, so we went and got good steamers, a very good lobster, and -- of course -- hit or miss fried clams. Do they have a belly size limit in that place?

Great report, NewEnglandSteve. What's up next?

A few tips: Always ask to smell the raw fish. If it's fishy or bleachy or otherwise weird, don't buy it. If it smells like a clean, sweet, cool sea breeze, then you're in good shape. Generally speaking, fresh is far, far superior to frozen. Buying fish that's spent less time out of the ocean and has been sitting on ice at a reputable store: good; previously frozen fish in styrofoam that's sitting in a grocery store case for who knows how long: bad. And not-fresh fish can turn you off something for a lifetime, whereas a fresh piece of, say, bluefish, which few people have had truly fresh, is a remarkable thing. Most people overcook fish. I'd recommend buying a small piece of fish you like and sautéing it slowly in some butter or olive oil and salt. Way before you think it's done, start eating pieces of it. At first, it might seem a bit too raw, but then you'll hit that silky, perfect stage, and then you'll watch the flesh get drier and start giving off that white foam that is a sure sign the fish is over-cooked. The trick is to cook the fish until you're a minute or so before that perfect stage, since it will continue to cook from the heat already in the flesh. Fish vary widely; some are more "fishy," more oily, more firm, more flaky.... Talk to your fishmonger and be blunt about what you like and don't like. If he or she is good, they'll have interesting ideas about what other fish you can try. You might also convince the fishmonger to make you a little sampler packet of six or eight things, one ounce a piece, that you can try to see the differences in texture and flavor. If you like "fish fry" in the midwest, chances are pretty good that you like one of two things: either cod, which is a salt-water fish, or something like perch, walleye or whitefish, which is a fresh-water fish. (If the fish has thick filets and flakes in large pieces the size of a thick quarter, then it's probably cod. Thinner filets and far finer flakes is probably a fresh-water fish.) My gramps was a Gloucesterman, so I'm a salt-water fish fan. You should figure out what you prefer, too!

Thanks! We definitely plan to be there in October. What else can we expect to see in season?

Sorry -- screwed up the geography. It's on Carrer de Milans, 4 blocks west of the Passeig de Colom.

Folks, this topic has veered away from organics, food distribution, and other on-topic matters toward broader matters that have directly nothing to do with food. If there are more issues to discuss that are substantively food-related, let's hear 'em; if not, we'll wrap this topic up.

I have obtained the following on the good authority of my mother-in-law: "I can recommend 'Hudson's Hamburgers', 207 E Sherman Avenue, which has been in the same location for about 80 years. I think they close at like 1:00 pm. There is a little pub that I like for gumbo and a wide variety of beers called 'Moontime' 1602 Sherman Avenue, definitely not gourmet dining but hot and garlicky."

I wouldn't bother with Steeple Street. It's fine, but it's not XO, 10 Prime, etc. etc.

I use my Chicago Cutlery shears almost daily, and they're fantastic. They were also dirt cheap.

They're all in Portland, I believe, save Primo, which is in Rockland.

I think Regan's point isn't about the exact ratios but the trinity.

Well that's absolutely fantastic! I'm assuming that's zaatar and olive oil, yes? As for other things, well, I can imagine it'd be a good substitute for a tandoor for naan, etc.

I think that's right, Janet. Regan and Haigh were talking about the base/lemon or lime juice/triple sec combination as the base formula for all of what Regan calls the New Orleans sours.

Regan thanks Dr. Cocktail for pointing out that a margarita is a tequila crusta on p 161 of Joy. BTW, is it "CRUST-ah"? "CROOST-ah"? "Croost-AY"?

Ever since I read plattetude's reference to the Regans' bourbon crusta here in the Maraschino topic, I've been hooked on this drink. I know that Regan considers the crustas a key group in the New Orleans sour category, and I've spied other crustas here and there, but I don't have a clear sense of what makes a crusta a crusta. For example, some folks here have referred to sugar rims, something which would throw off the balance of my bourbon crusta for sure. I've fiddled around with rye (basic Old Overholt) crustas to lesser success, and have started to wonder about using other stuff, too. So what crusta tips or recipes can you share? Do you use the Regan recipe for yours, or another? What about base liquors? rims? garnishes?

Providence has finally joined many other urban areas to host its own restaurant week, running 16-22 July. For $12.95 (lunch) or $29.95 (dinner) you get a three-course "prix fix" meal -- or so say the pretty lousy website. Notables include 10 Prime Steak and Sushi, Gracie's, Neath's, New Rivers, Pane e Vino, and Siena. Anyone planning to attend? Post here, if so; if other topics on the subject are any indication, these sorts of events are often very interesting indeed.

We are planning a trip to Barcelona in early October, and will be staying in a self-catering apartment in the southern part of the Barri Gotico. Part of my anticipation of the trip involves preparing for the cooking that I'll be doing while there (and the dining, but that's another dozen topics), but I realize that I know very little about what I can expect will be available at that time of year and in that part of the city. What sorts of produce, meats, fish, and other items can I expect to find there? Where will we be likely to find those items in that neighborhood? I know about the Mercat Boqueria, but are there smaller, nearby places that will enable us to avoid going there regularly? Finally, where would you turn for a good cookbook or two that would enable me to take advantage of the bounty we'll encounter?

Fascinating question. I've finally reached the apex of my gadget- and equipment-hoarding, I think -- I actually chose not to buy a stack of stainless steel bowls for the first time recently -- but the stuff I have I use and like. When we travel, however, I pare way, way down, bringing two knives (chef's and paring), a cutting board, and a fry pan, sauce pan, and stock pot. That's about what "bare minimum" would look like to me, I guess, but, man oh man, I'd miss my wok. And my strainer. And my cast iron skillet. And my Bradley smoker. And....

For starters, check out the Charcuterie topic, where there are a few lardos (lardi?) to behold!

I thought I'd chime in here and link the purpose of this topic that I started with the question Mike raises here. I've had the same "Why bother?" thought in the past about other sorts of cooking and food prep. For me, it comes down to a few different things. The first is learning. When I bought David Thompson's Thai Food, I read it cover to cover, because I was fascinated to learn about a cuisine that I had enjoyed at restaurants, that I knew very little about, and whose foundations were so utterly different from those of the Western cuisines that formed my own basic cooking knowledge. I haven't repeated that experience until getting Charcuterie, when I immersed myself in matters and methods (curing, smoking, waiting, fermentation, humidity, temperature and, yes, sanitation, bacteria, and mold) that were utterly new to me. That learning has changed the way I approach those foods outside of my own kitchen. I have a far more developed sense of meat quality, of the relationship between moisture and texture, and of smoke as a flavoring agent and preservative, say, than I've ever had before. That appreciation carries over to my pleasure in eating a perfectly cured and well-defined slice of crespone, and makes me appreciate the decisions a chef has made concerning fat:meat ratios, the fineness of the grind, and spicing in a delicate rabbit sausage. Finally, while I'm sure that there are artisans out there who make better sopressata than I do (and manage to eat most of it instead of throwing it away ), I have to say that I make better bacon, sausage, and barbecue pork than anyone around these parts. If I had unlimited (instead of severely limited) cash I could spend a few bucks extra per pound and get higher quality stuff via the mail, sure, but what's the point? I'm learning, I'm making great stuff which I share with family and friends, and I can tailor everything to my own tastes. And with the additional information in this topic, I believe I can make safer, better quality product with more consistent results. Why bother? Well, to me, it's the furthest thing from a bother that I can imagine.

As the points being made here are either repetitive, off-topic, or personal in nature, we're closing this topic.

That happened to me a few times, usually bc some liquid leaked between the bag layers at the seal. So I've been wiping and then doing a double-seal on my precious charcuterie, one right behind the main seal.

Just seeing that photo drives me insane with desire. When we drove down to Jacksonville for New Years 2005, we stopped at Wilber's, and neither my wife nor I have stopped thinking about it since. It is truly the gold standard in our house, and not merely for barbecue. All food should aspire to the heights reached by Wilber's 'cue. Blog on, phlawless!

Do tell! With a coating?