Jason Perlow

The crew then headed out to Crooks Cafe for a Pre-Pickin' Southern Feast. Hush Puppies Watermelon Salad Pimento Cheese and Pepper Jelly with accoutriments I forgot what this was called, but its a rice and beans dish with cheese and tomatoes and scallions on top. Roasted Chicken marinated with Green Tabasco Sauce Shrimp and Grits, the signature dish of the restaurant. This version has bacon and shrooms in it. Salad with beets Chocolate Cake Fudge Brownie with Ice Cream Not pictured is the Honey Suckle sorbet, which apparently takes a gazillion of those things to make and they have to get them along the railroad tracks in order to have enough. I mean, you cant exactly source honeysuckles from Sysco.

Upon arriving at Casa Mccord, we scarfed some of these nice butter tarts, made by Marlene: I then headed toward the bathroom, where I found Varmint sitting on the toilet and throwing ice into the bathtub: I thought this shot was somewhat disturbing, in a Hitchcockian way. Reep Reep Reep!

Rachel and I landed in Raleigh this afternoon, and boy was it HOT. So before even heading over to Casa Mccord, we headed over to Durham for some Loco Pops. I had the Mojito and Chocolate Chile flavors, and Rachel had the White Peach and Chocolate Orange flavors. Muy sabroso.

If they told you it was a melon, then it probably is some kind of bitter melon, in which case I would just stir fry it just like a Chinese bitter melon. It may, in fact, be a small variety of Winter Melon. Vietnamese use Winter Melons in soups as well as in stir frys: http://www.evergreenseeds.com/evergreensee...nmelhybsma.html it might be a variety of Khao Nuan: http://www.evergreenseeds.com/evergreensee...waxgohykan.html

Any of the dishes made with fresh pasta and "en cartoccio"

Remember that in Czarist Russia, all of the Imperial chefs were Italian, so there is a quite a bit of crossover in pasta making tradition.

I think so but you should call to check.

Make sure you get to Robertos fairly early (6PM) or that you have a reservation.

Some of the better known restaurants are semi-outdoor, such as Cafe Du Monde. I'm a bit concerned myself as to how they held up to the storm.

There was some press coverage on this during April of last year: Cold comfort for hot dogs as Italy unveils pizza in a cone

What's amazing is that most of their locations are in ITALY.

If Brooks can't make it, Dave Scantland and I will make the stewed okra and deep fried okra in his honor together. We WILL have okra at this event, Katrina be damnned.

Some more China episode photos by Diane Schutz, of Zero Point Zero Production:

I know that Bennie's in Englewood has hookah in the evening. Excellent middle eastern food as well.

Yeah, I was thinking dark chocolate as well. Maybe someting like Oreo wafers.

Actually Soju (Wikipedia entry) isn't nearly as strong as some of the folk liquors (read: moonshine) that come out of China or Vietnam. Most of the stronger Sojus are only around 25 percent alcohol, but there are some special ones that can come close to 45 percent (90 proof). Still, drink enough of it and you can get really plastered. The best Sojus in Korea are produced in Andong province. Recently only a few of these have been imported into the US. They are about 3 times as expensive as the regular Jinro or Doosan stuff, but they are well worth it in my opinion.

What I really, really want is Marco Canora's parmesan gnocchi recipe from Restaurant Hearth (NYC). Maybe I can convince him to fork it over for us.

Actually I think he went to North Africa in his first series on The Food Network, if I am not mistaken. EDIT: He went to Morocco (click)

Hey. Some of us resemble that remark. The show is what the show is -- its Tony doing what he wants to do, and its him letting us have a glimpse of his jaunts around the world, and his psyche, flippant comments, and endless film references. Whether you like them or not, its what it is.

Personally I prefer Sweet & Tart to Congee Village, but they are both solid restaurants.

This is gonna rock.

Actually I could really go for a Tony in Israel episode.

An advanced preview of the Sichuan China episode in Chengdu, courtesy of our foreign correspondent, Vic Chanko: (All photographs by Diane Schutz, Zero Point Zero Production) "A little chicken with your peppers?" Sichuan Food Porn New Fusion Restaurant--rural Sichuan The Kitchen Ye Olde Malt Shoppe--Sichuan Style Time for a head joke? I think... yes!

Very, very nice.

There's definitely more of a sense of xenophobia from the staff at Hunan Cottage. However I think if you start off by saying "Ni Hao" (hello/greetings) and saying "Shr Shr" in stead of thank yous, they at least will have a good idea that they are not dealing with a complete chinese food neophyte. I've never had any kind of problem there, except for the very first time I visited, when I found out there was a two menu system.