Jason Perlow

Jeffrey: I was a huge fan of the ill-fated show on the Metro channel that you did with Ed Levine. My favorite segment of that show was when you did various roundups and tried to find the best example of something -- Rye bread, bagels, pastrami, etc. Have you considered perhaps starting your own web site and doing that again? Maybe with Ed? I found it to be very educational as well as extremely entertaining.

Damn, why didn't I think of that one?

I'd say that was a sufficient answer.

Yeah, I hate turnips too, and these are pretty tasty.

Lo Bak Ko? http://chinesefood.about.com/library/blrecipe053.htm

The Batali recipe above that I linked to calls for "Brodo" which is simply just meat or veal broth I think.

Batali Ragu alla Bolognese recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/re...6_12058,00.html I trust Mario not to screw with it, so its probably pretty authentic.

Yes, I think there is. It was on an episode of Mario Eats Italy, I wish I wrote it down.

Only the one in Hackensack is the "original". Its the Manna with 2 N's, not 1.

Jeffrey, is Cincinatti a big food town? What did you eat there?

Yes, but I refuse to go there.

If you're in Middletown make sure you check out Jerry's Pizza as well.

Yes, definitely worth it.

Hell, we even have a lawyer turned food writer who writes for a women's fashion magazine. Talk about a trend.

I wasn't impressed with Ciao Bella at all. Cassie's pizza sucks too. I'll check out Uncle Franks though.

it should be noted that it's not very easy finding canned san marzano tomatoes in northern NJ even. the supermarkets carry 20 brands, none of which are san marzano. so yeah, i end up eating second-rate canned tomatoes most of the time. Jerry's, dude.

I think the other issue is that while Bergen County has traditionally had a large Italian-American population, we are starting to see a huge influx of new upper-middle-class Asian families (Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, etc) and the new restaurants we are seeing seem to reflect their taste in food. In terms of Asian there's plenty of new and exciting Asian stuff. I'd look to towns like Englewood for the more interesting stuff. As to Italian, I can't tell you how much I welcome a place that makes fresh pasta and makes good pizza, and a GOOD red sauce. Maybe its not "exciting" but it's something I do want now and then. In Tenafly we have maybe 3 pizza parlor type places and all three of them suck. So a place like Felice which makes fresh pasta, good sauce and good pizza is a very welcome addition.

I totally disagree with this. We don't have enough DECENT "red sauce" Italian restaurants. Even the regular pizza places we have pretty much suck. I happen to like Felice and feel its a welcome addition to the area. He may not be outrageously creative but the quality of his product is good. I haven't tried any of the others you mentioned yet.

If they send me one, yeah.

Oh, I'm looking forward to it. I'm just not sure if the rest of NYC is. Especially some of the more offal-esque stuff.

I'm trying to get one of these things for evaluation.

Yipes. I'm not sure we are ready for an American version of St. John.

http://www.liquorfilter.com/ Turn Popov into Belvedere? Or is this another Wine Clip? http://www.liquorfilter.com/f_science.htm

I actually LIKE that.

Okay, here's one to balance out all the goyishe stuff: CHANUKAH GELT. I mean, why eat shitty chocolate that is a major pain in the ass to eat? Its enclosed in these rediculous foil wrappers that you need to have dragon nails to open. And by the time you get it open its all melty from you handling it, or the stuff is so old that its totally bloomed out. Is there GOOD chanukah gelt out there? I doubt it. EDIT: Okay maybe these are decent: http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/php...W=hanukkah_gelt