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Got some in the fridge now. Can get it at Harry's in atlanta. First discovered it at a good local grocery and couldn't resist trying it (always try to expand my food knowledge) but had to make something up. I cut it in ~ 1/2 in lengths and sprinkled it on freshly shucked oysters, then barely covered all with cream subtly scented with garlic and put under the broiler till just barely brown. Yum. Adds a very nice saltiness. Also used it fresh tossed in with zucchini puree-coated pasta at the last minute. Great. It's slightly tough, and certainly can be blanched briefly for more lively color and slightly more tender texture. Liked it so much I bought some seeds and grew it this summer (water with salt-water!) but it turned out to be a different variety from Italy, and I kind of neglected it. I guess it's used in Italian cuisine more than here. Use it whenever you want a green, salty taste, esp. with a bit-o-crunch.

Not being in the business, I found this thread enlightening. Excuse my ignorance, but when tip sharing occurs, does everyone know what they AND THE OTHER WAITSTAFF are contributing and getting back? If that knowledge is shared, there would be incentive to not slack off, because everyone would know you keep taking out more than you're putting in. And as long as this is properly monitored and dealt with (exceedingly weak servers would presumably be let go), the better servers shouldn't have too much disincentive.

I've used the thin clear plastic sheets more and more. Pkg of 3 of them at bed bath and beyond or somesuch was about $10, I think. There's slightly hacked up after a year, but that's because i've used a serrated knife on them and wasn't careful. Could use separate ones for meat, veggies, etc. but I don't; good old warm soapy water does fine. But we're re-doing our kitchen and I think I'd like to find a big, nice, stay-on-the-counter board.

The eating alone thing works fine for me...there certainly can be an intensity of experience born of focused concentration on flavor, something that is, at least in part, inhibited by the presence of others, of the need to partake in conversation, to be social. But my best meals have still occurred with others. Two tasting meals at Seeger's in Atlanta were fantastic (one other just so-so), and another at The Dining Room (Joel Antunes as chef) was not far behind. And the multicourse meals I cook at holiday time with my mom and the rest of the family--some of those have been great. To answer this question, do we need to have 2 categories? One would be context-free, i.e. the best food, period. The other would be the meal in context, e.g. that great watermelon that I "borrowed" from a nearby field when picking okra for 6 straight hours in the 95 degree heat... To what degree can context even be separated?

I grew the yellow pole romanos and wrote a post about it but wasn't logged in. Apparently my post was saved, but I don't know how to get it back. Bottom line: use like any other bean. Young beans, use pod and all, old ones shell.

Chef, to what degree do you feel you will need to use more conventional serviceware in conjunction with these new items? Will most/all/some/a few courses utilize the new serviceware? How important is it for you to "cushion" the shock of such newness with some traditional approaches? I vote for Leonard Nemoy as the celebrity pitchman if they're marketed.

Hey, FoodTutor...if you ever DO decide to do a bug class, let me know. The way the skeeters chomp on me, wouldn't mind getting back at 'em.javascript:add_smilie(%22:raz:%22)

Growing up, I hated curry. Then I figured out that what I really disliked was standard bottled curry powders (e.g. Spice Islands) that have a lot of fenugreek in them. That fenugreek taste is the only thing about curry I dislike (and even so it's tolerable). BTW, fenugreek is what's used for imitation maple flavoring; don't like that much either. I also discovered when drying some watermelon solids (don't ask) that watermelon has a fenugreek taste way in the background. WAY in the background.

Hadn't checked on the thread since first starting it...glad I did now. Great responses! I'm struck by a few things: 1. Some people dislike certain things because of what the foods are. They can't get over the "idea" of those foods. These are things like offal, rare/raw meat, raw fish. We can call this category "gross-outs". Nothing really grosses me out, and I have to admit that I can get annoyed with someone who won't even try something because of what it is (e.g. "ox-tongue? eww, gross!"). A bit snobbish, perhaps, but that's the way I feel. 2. Sometimes textures are disliked. Personally, I'm essentially never turned off by textures. But many people are, and I can certainly accept that. My mother-in-law loves the flavor of watermelon but can't stand the texture. Nuts in ice cream freak my son out. Slimy boiled okra get a lot of people. Raw bananas and mushy pears, as we've heard. I think textures might be a more common reason for disliking a certain food than taste alone. 3. Some people who love food just don't like certain tastes. Like me and truffle oil. Although any tastes can fall in this category (in this thread we've heard chocolate, truffles, eggs, raspberries, brussel sprouts, plums among many others), the bitter, musty, and fishy tastes seem to most prone. But largely, these are just unpredictable. 4. LOTS OF FOOD-SAVY, OPEN-MINDED PEOPLE HAVE CERTAIN THINGS THEY JUST DON"T LIKE. This seems a bit obvious, but to me it's enlightening. For example, it indicates to me that menus without choices (e.g. tasting menus) might lead to some unhappy customers even when the customers are foodies. I had a FANTASTIC tomato dish at Seeger's in Altlanta (selection of fresh/raw heirloom slices on clear tomato water gelee with tomato mousse) and prior to reading these responses I'd have thought that anyone who didn't like it simply did not have a sensitive/sophisticated/refined palate. I guess I'll be a bit more open-minded now. And it's good to know I have company on truffle oil out there, and that I might still like fresh truffles.

Thanks for the perspecive. I'll keep an open mind about the fresh truffles. I've always felt I might tolerate them much better than the oil. I agree that the bat story is great.

I think of truffles as a strong taste. Everything else you mentioned I like. Neutral on mushrooms.

I'm a hard-core foodie and love experimenting with different tastes. Not squeamish a bit, have an adventurous palate. Like almost everything. But every time I try truffled whatever (usually in the form of truffle oil used in a dish at an excellent restaurant) I literally almost throw up. Obviously, I've leaned not to order the stuff, but I continue to intermittently taste those dishes in the hopes of getting used to the taste. I realize that it's kind of a vanity thing...given my culinary and gustatory proclivities I'm expected to like the royal fungus. But I don't. In fact, my reaction is so dramatically negative and so unlike my reaction to any other food, that I wonder whether I have some genetically hard-wired revulsion to the truffle taste. I've rarely had fresh truffles and I seem to be significantly more accepting of black truffle oil than the white (even used the former in a celery root puree that turned out quite well). So maybe there's some hope for me. Still can't believe people can not only stomach truffles, but actually place them on a vaunted pedestal of culinary experience. Do I have any like-minded souls out there? If not for truffles, then for some other "foodie taste"?

Nice piece, very tastefully done. I would like to point out that tastes are harder to describe than textures. This makes sense because textures are also sensations that we experience in non-gustatory ways (i.e. skin sensations), whereas tastes are always related to food, and often become self-referential. Examples: try to describe concrete in terms of texture (rough, grainy, sandy, abrasive, etc.) and then try to describe it's smell (in this case this is better than taste!)...musty, earthy...? The okra example is great. Go ahead, try to find some words to describe the taste of okra. It ain't easy. Tastes like....okra. And if you chose other terms (vegetal?) they become either vague or they refer to other foods, like so many wine descriptions. A carbernet can have a green pepper taste, but what does green pepper taste like? Hard to put into words without referring to other foods. I guess it comes down to the fact that texture is physical , whereas the majority of taste (the olfactory component) is less "concrete".

I love hearing about all of these cookbooks!!! I think we should make explicit a point that has really just been implicit thhroughout this thread: ***There are different "types" of cookbooks*** No duh, right? Some are general books (The New Professional Chef, On Cooking, The Making of a Chef) that teach basic principles of cooking Some are general recipe books (The Joy of Cooking, the Silver Palate series) Some are specific reference books (On Food and Cooking and Cookwise on the science of cooking, Larousse Gastronomique as a food encyclopedia, Culinary Artistry on flavor combinations) Some are specific recipe books (any ethnic cookbook, Vegetables or Sauces or Fish and Shellfish by Peterson, Chez Panisse veggies or fruits or whatever) Some are restaurant/chef books (The French Laundry, Naked Chef, The Magic of the Kitchen) Some are books about the food business that also contain recipes (Becoming a Chef). Of course many books cross boundaries to some extent. The reason it is important to recognize this is that it helps guide someone as they develop their cookbook library. Everyone needs a general recipe book, and for some that's all that's needed. A text like The New Professional Chef is very helpful but for many people The Joy of Cooking will suffice. Specific topics can be added according to the person's tastes; perhaps a Rick Bayless mexican book or Fish and Shellfish by Peterson or Simple Italian Food by Batali. Books in this category are added to the library as the cook's tastes and interests (and pocketbooks!) grow. The addition of books like The French Laundry or Amuse-Bouche by Tramonto (one of my fave's) serve more to inspire and enlighten creativity than anything else. A beginning cook on a limited budget should acquire them carefully so as not to break the bank and not to get discuouraged by their less approachable recipes. But as their cooking sophistication matures these books become invaluable. I think every serious cook should own a "science of cooking" book (On Food and Cooking is outstanding) I like the way restaurant/chef books capture the artistry of food, so I have a lot of those. And as I tell my wife, the fact that I've made only a handful of their recipes doesn't mean that they haven't served their purpose. These books would be at the top of my favorite list, but that doesn't mean they are the best recommendations for a 21 year old student. I like just about everything published by Artisan Books (the French Laundry Cookbook, many others). I avoid buying expensive books near list price; on Amazon the affiliated merchants that offer new and used books often have great deals. I got Giradet for $6 brand new. Shipping isn't free, but it's still a great way to go.

I had a great pasta dish in Rome with squid ink tagliatelle in a zucchini sauce. I've since approximated it, and it turned out well. Basically, make the sauce with pureed cooked zucchini and anchovies and some parmesean. Mix in some barely cooked zuch juliennes and top the whole thing with sliced zuch blossums. Delish.

Wine reductions. Deglazing/pan sauce works fine. But trying to make a larger amount of sauce by concentating a good red wine always comes out harsh and acidic, even after adding reduced stock and finishing with butter. Timing. Preparing a meal is a bit more than just cooking a dish. The timing of each task is crucial to having things come out really well, and I often have trouble with that.

In a pinch LV can substitute for lemongrass. Or try a tiny bit in a salad. I'm intrigued by herbs like LV that can provide tastes that are usually provided by other ingredients. I've grown lemon balm (quite a weed) but I think I like lemon verbena better. I'm also interested in lemon myrtle, which apparently is the "lemoniest" of all. My other substitutes include salad burnett (for cucumber) and lovage (for celery)

I thought canned pineapple doesn't tenderize that well because the activity of the tenderizing enzyme (papain) is reduced significantly. Fresh pineapple and papaya work well because they contain the active enzyme (which is a protease, so it chops up proteins). Your marinade sounds good. I'd pound the meat a bit if you really think it needs it; I don't like the mushiness that meat tenderizer can induce. The best solution is to use tender meat.