Jason Perlow

Brooklyn Brewery has some great products, but I don't know if they really qualify as "Mass Produced"

Not "every which way" only in the medium-thick crusted variety. The regular pizza was good, but nothing like Kinchley's thin-crusted in NJ, and the "white" sicilian was unique, but doesn't beat out DiFara's artichoke pie in any way. No, I disagree with this. The regular pizza is very, very good. It tastes like what New York pizza tasted like 20 years ago. Mind you places like this 20 years ago were a dime a dozen in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and in Jersey. Not so anymore.

Its a suburb of Hartford.

885 Washington St Middletown, CT Phone: (860) 346-5335 At the AFJ convention in Boston, AFJ President and SF Chronicle food columnist Bill Daley insisted that on the way home, we stop by at Jerry's Pizza in Middletown -- with one specific request, and that we try the "White Sicilian Pie". And oh yeah, you have to order it TWO HOURS in advance, because the dough has to be "proofed". So on the way back from Boston, rachel calls Jerry's on the cell phone to tell them we'd be there in two hours. We had no idea what was awaiting us. Absolutely no clue. Here's the White Sicilian, just before going into the pizza oven. What's on this thing? Well basically, its like a foccacia that is topped with this mixture of anchovies, tons of garlic, parsley, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. I know, I know, anchovies are gross. Theyre nasty, and they look like marinated eyebrows. But trust me. When cooked, the White Sicilian is transformed into an explosion of strong, aggressive italian flavors. The anchovies become assimilated into the greater whole, providing saltiness and seasoning and a complimentary flavor to the assault of garlic and chile pepper flakes. Outstanding. Of course, when you are at Jerry's you gotta try their regular pizza too. Its awesome. I've never been to Sally's Apizza in New Haven (we tried to go there but it doesn't open until 5PM) but this kicks the living crap out of just about every pizza (save for Patsy's in Harlem and Difara in Brooklyn) that I have had in NYC. It is absolutely depressing that Connecticut has deposed the once world leader of Pizza, New York. They are clearly kicking our asses in every which way. And not only do they have amazing pizza, but their meatballs are kick-ass as well: These are all-beef balls that are seasoned with spices and parmesan cheese. I don't think there is any or little filler in them at all. They're big, and they have a nice crustiness outside and a dense, firm texture on the inside, because they are baked in the pizza ovens in big trays. These are then doused with Jerry's fantastic homemade tomato sauce and then used in heroes and on pizza and over spaghetti. Here is Will Schiora, son of Jerry Schiora, making meatballs in the kitchen: Here's the pizza menu: Jerry's is located in a rather beat-up, run down looking strip mall in Middletown where a Home Depot is currently being constructed. You'd never know that amazing pizza and italian-american food is to be found in a rather average and un-assuming looking family owned pizza joint thats been around since 1968.

728 Main St. (Rte. 66), Middletown, CT, (860) 346-6101 On the way back from Boston, Rachel and I stopped at O'Rourkes Diner in Middletown, at the insistence of San Francisco Chronicle (and former Hartford Courant) food columnist Bill Daley, to try the legendary STEAMED CHEESEBURGER. The Steamed Cheeseburger is a unique, strange and beautiful regional variant of the cheeseburger which is limited to only the 25-mile radius of Middletown, Connecticut. Its served at maybe a dozen different places in the local area, including Ted's in Meriden. But Orourkes is the legitmate heir to the Steamed Cheeseburger because its owner, Brian Orourke, is the grandson of its inventor, Jack O'rourke, who served it at Jack's Lunch, a luncheonette that once existed a short way down Main Steet from where Orourke's Diner is today. The burger then made its way to Meriden, and then back to Middletown. Textureally, a steamed cheeseburger is sort of like eating a meat loaf sandwich that is completely engulfed in gloppy, melted sharp cheddar cheese. The Orourke's burger patty itself isnt that large, but it seems to be the correct amount of beef considering it is paired with such a huge amount of melted cheddar cheese. I was unable to photograph the actual cooking process, but basically what happens is that the burger meat is put into these square molds which is then put into this steamer contraption to cook. Blocks of sharp white cheddar cheese are also put into these molds and the steamer contraption, and then the whole mess is put on top of a kaiser roll. I can assure you, this thing tastes way better than it sounds. The diner, a classic 1946 dining car The legendary steamed cheeseburger, made out of ground black angus beef and topped with melted sharp white cheddar cheese. the steamed bacon cheeseburger patty melt, an interesting variation on the original You can get reubens with melted cheese too. world class french fries and fried zucchini sweet potato soup with greens. YUM.

261-263 Crown Street, in New Haven.

No, actually everyone was very civil and quiet, and they didn't mind that I took pictures.

by the way, Louis Lunch has a written rule -- NO KETCHUP or MUSTARD. Cheese, tomato and onion are the only acceptable garnish. They make Burger Club look outright progressive by comparison. It should be noted that when we were there for lunch on a tuesday, the place was packed solid and we had to wait a half an hour before we could eat. So be extremely patient. Its worth it.

On route to Boston this week, Rachel and I stopped in New Haven, CT for lunch. On the recommendation of Fat Guy, we went to Louis Lunch, a historical monument to the hamburger. Founded in 1895, Louis Lunch credits itself with the invention of the hamburger in 1900 when a patron came in and asked for a quick meal he could eat on the run. The luncheonette's owner, Louis Lassert, hurriedly sandwiched a beef patty between two slices of of toast and sent the customer on its way, and the hamburger was born. Whether you believe the story or not, these burgers are GOOD. The meat is ground on premises every day, and there's a rather bizzare and unique method in which these burgers are actually cooked. For starters, theres these little gas burning "ovens" (that are clearly ancient) which the hamburgers are broiled VERTICALLY in, held together by these wrought-iron baskets. Burger broiler ovens in action Another view of the broiler ovens Burgers, withdrawn from the broiler in the basket grill Burgers being assembled Burger close up

thats a lot of dough.

I used to work for the UK importers, and the non dose, was always pretty rough. We could never sell it. Thats interesting, I thought their Non Dose paired really well with caviar. Being that I've never tasted marmite probably puts me at an advantage! That being said I've just searched around the web to try to find the Non Dose' and nobody seems to carry it, so they either stopped making it or as you say, people hate it. Guess I should have bought more!

I'm so there.

some interesting insights by Mike Colameco. Mike has a food show on PBS (Colameco's Food Show)and he is married to a Korean lady, so he is part of an extended Korean family and sees it from the outsider perspective: **** Jason I think you all have parts of the answer... - Yes Korean immigrants in America are insular, as are many other ethnic groups. - there are language issues not helped by being a closed community - as a traditional historically Confucian culture ( though recently Christian ) they are not at all big on self promotion. - nearly surrounded by water, and wedged between China and Japan for all her history, the Koreans have been the victims of multiple invasions, attrocities, and occupations from both sides, and as such tend to stay to themselves and aren't big on pandering to strangers. While I agree that Sushi / Sashimi, and various manifestations of Chinese cuisines are very popular here, I'm not so sure that "Indian" cuisine is all that popular in the USA either. Outside of "Curry Hill" on Lexington in midtown, there is a scarcity of good Indian restaurants in Manhattan.. ditto the burbs. Korean cuisine, like many regional Indian cuisines tend to be heavily seasoned, "hot" as in pepper, assertive, and not for the faint of heart. The generous use of dried and fresh peppers, salt and raw garlic, of uncooked, or fermenting ingredients, unusual cuts of meat, offal, odd ( to many folks ) varieties of fish, dried roots, ferns, and mushrooms, does not play well in this country. I've actually avoided eating Korean food and Kim Chee if I'd known that I had a meeting afterword, and whomever I'm addressing would have been scared away by post Korean breath syndrome. If you've ever worked in an office with Koreans typically right after lunch they all head to the bathroom for well brushed teeth, mouth wash, and then chewing gum for good measure before venturing out into the non-Korean world. It's really funny, they know the drill. What makes it so great for those of us that love Korean food is it's sheer bowl you over assertiveness, it's bold, straightforward non compromising character, it's lack, for the most part, of subtlety. Although there is also a lesser known strong Buddhist vegetarian strain that is very subtle and nuanced. Yes, Japanese cuisine food is more refined, as are their traditional arts, pottery, swordmaking, caligraphy, rituals, and language. And the Chinese more varied, pliable and userfriendly, aided by the Chinese wonderlust for travel, they have been in America for 150 years, as well as opening businesses everywhere on the planet, and blending cultures Look no further than the Chinese Cuban cuisines on the west sidevia Cuba pre Castro, or Chinese Korean which is great, and Chinese is S . America, Chinese Indo cooking, CHinese Hawaiian etc.... Culture informs cuisine, and Koreans are much like their food. Direct, proud, generous, straightforward, blunt, passionate. As long as Americans are skittish about flavors, textures, odd vegetables, unfamiliar cuts of meat and fish with bones, forget it. Ands that's fine with me too, there are loads of great Korean restaurants in mid town, Queens. Fort Lee, etc.... And you're right Jason, when they see you ( a westerner ) dig into the food, and order insider's dishes off a Korean menu without hesitation, big smiles all around. Everybody is happy. OK this "cojangee" knows his Korean food !! mike

Not to spoil your appetite, but the idea of dining with Rasputin should not be in the least entertaining. Rasputin was known for his overpowering smell from bathing rarely and his manners never progressed beyond eating with his fingers. His “pets,” or shall I say most passionate devotees, didn’t seem to object cleansing his hands by licking his fingers. That sounds like some of the frat boys I used to know in college.

Their Ambonnay Blanc de noir and Non Dose are their best wines, I think. The Rose' is also very nice.

I noticed. I did a little happy dance, actually--while looking around furtively to make sure no Yankees fans were watching...they can legally shoot you for that in NYC, or so I understand. K Its in our User Agreement that we can ban you from the site from doing it too.

yeah, well notice that i mentioned carl rove too! maybe not too pleasant but from the looks of the boy i'd say that he's been raiding the gally on air force one with great regularity. i just thought that i'd throw out some names of historical icons- pleasant or unpleasant. didn't know hitler was a vegetarian- i'd be interested to hear about real or fictional dining habits of historical figures. bet i'd be transfixed as rasputin chewedwith his mouth open! (an annoying, unpleasant eating habit!) http://www.urbanlegends.com/celebrities/hi...vegetarian.html http://www.veg.ca/newsletr/mayjun96/hitler.html http://michaelbluejay.com/veg/hitler.html http://www.geocities.com/hitlerwasavegetarian/ http://www.micahbooks.com/readingroom/Hitlerveg.html Some people say it was an urban legend, but apparently he followed a diet that was for the most part vegetarian.

Both the 2 star and 3 star are fairly easy to get in NJ.

For the most part it has to do with the fact that Koreans have not really integrated themselves into american society like the Chinese, the Vietnamese and Thai have. They succeed here in the US as a parallel culture independent of other communities they reside in. They little interest in popularizing their food or culture. This is not a bad thing, this is is simply the way they are. While they have no problem serving americans at their restaurants, and I've been welcomed into these restaurants and gotten great service at them, they could for the most part care less if americans eat at them. This has only changed a bit recently because of the shitty economy and they want ANY customer now to come into their restaurant. They are also usually amazed when I order right from the menu without spending 20 minutes looking at it, and that a white person could be familiar with their cuisine or appreciate it at all. As I said earlier, Koreans in the US have been traditionally insular and have their own communities with shopping centers, businesses, schools, medical offices, churches and restaurants.

http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/food/t...topfive/n_9369/ Maybe we should do a multi-week outing to try all of these? Cubano Club?

awesome.

rasputin and hitler? Hitler was a vegetarian. He couldn't be that pleasant a dining companion. Rasputin could drink though.

Make a pear-ginger sorbet and charge $5 a pint at Whole Foods.

Jersey, dude.

That would be my review.