janeer

Showing my age here, but years ago I met with Tim and Nina Zagat to talk about the possibility of moving form print to some sort of electronic form (including phone, which was Tim's thought), and whether and how they might do that. The fact that they were able to actually sell this business now is quite an accomplishment; the value is hard to see except in a rather aging market. I think Google is probably hoping to leverage the local-ness of their business model, but I'm not sure how. Maybe by reaching the reviewers as targets of advertising. It will be interesting to see if those reviewers keep on once it's a Google product.

Before Ranch was in a bottle, it was a dry mix in a packet; that is how it became famous. I grew up in the 60s, when it started to take America by storm. I never touched the stuff (or any other commercial dressing, which were pretty much absent in my house). Oddly, a few years ago, while living in Nashville (a ranch stronghold), I started making it at home to eat with raw carrots--an outstanding match. I always have buttermilk on hand, and it is easy to stir up for a quick snack or appetizer. I put Tabasco in mine.

this reminded me of last year's adventure with muscadines--see here. I was so enamored of leaving the cute little green blobs in the purple syrup that i decided not to strain it (i.e., to leave the fruits whole, seeds and all). Big mistake, I later decided. Was able to strain some, but tons of waste, and threw a lot of it out.

I do not use sugar. In good strong coffee, I use light cream or half and half--put in the cup first, then the coffee added to it. I drink espresso black after a big dinner; in the morning I like a double latte made with whole milk. Actually, in Italy milk is considered for the morning only.

I totally agree with you--and Mexican food is my favorite among all the great cuisines of the world. I am eagerly awaiting this blog.

Well, I am a purist/caramel person but if I get what you are trying to do, why not just use dabs of royal icing, which will turn into cement, to stick it together.

Fried food generally does not travel (or reheat) well. But you are committed. So I'm trying to think what I would do in this instance. I would cook it at the last minute, put it in a paper-towel-lined dish, and bring it, very loosely covered, to the destination, having previously asked the host to have an oven ready at 200F. I'd heat it as little as possible (heat toughens fried food), then serve with rice and lots of sauce. An alternative would be to bring it as described, arranged on your rice with sauce, and microwave the whole thing VERY briefly. Good luck.

May I cf everyone to the thread on the death of the owner of Geno's steaks (sorry, don't know how to link to our threads), who had a sign posted to please order in English? Is this different? I actually think it is, and that it is worse. Regardless, it is certainly your choice not to patronize the place.

I don't use the recipe per se anymore, but my favorite way to make butterflied leg of lamb comes from a "Gourmet Menus" centerfold from the 1980s (I think it was a June issue with a father's day theme). The lamb is pounded to an even thickness, marinated in a bottle of good red wine with some olive oil, onions, carrot, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, fresh parsley, s+P for 1-2 days, then grilled about 10 min ea side over med-hot coals to med-rare. Dee-lish.

Honestly, does it matter whether we agreed or not? He'd dead. He was a character. His store was/is a local icon. It's the end of an era. As you say,philadining, a good steak, regardless. Although, of course, Pat's was better

You are obviously a great salesperson, Katie. What a lovely offer! The "Party Time" menu looks nice. Philly is such an embarrassment of food riches, is there time for it all?

In midtown, aperitivodoes a good job; it is attractive, has a wine list, and takes reservations.

I always preferred Pat's, but this is the end of an era in the across-the-street rivalry. Story here.

Let's try it and post results. In a few weeks--i'm headed to Brazil

I love a good, properly cooked (tender, no gray) deviled egg. I do not like dry fillings or lumps. I add a little cream to mine (mayo, dijon, s and white pepper only) and whip til very smooth and soft. Garnish w/chopped parsley and cayenne. Will occasionally add finely minced shallot.

Pizza--and lasagne--have always been relatively expensive to make, because fresh mozzarella and imported plum Italian tomatoes (all labeled "imported" are SM,those that specially say that are a marketing gimmick; look for "imported from Italy" on the cans) have always had a high price. Go to an Italian specialty store in an Italian neighborhood and buy your tomatoes by the case; they are amazingly cheap, and you will have many varieties to choose from.

I revere Charles Dickens. Of his extensive dialogue about food in his books, my favorites are from A Christmas Carol: "Hallo! A great deal of steam!The pudding was out of the copper. A smell like a washing-day! That was the cloth. A smell like an eating-house, and a pastry cook's next to each other, with a laundress's next door to that! That was the pudding." And declaring it "a wonderful pudding--not at all a small pudding for such a large family" to Mrs. Cratchet, who said, "I do confess I had my doubts about the quantity of flour." And then there was my inimatable (a nickname for Dickens himself) father, who once said at the Empress Room, a very fancy Chinese restaurant on the top of the Hyatt, "Gimme one of them Chinese margaritas" to the very stuffy Chinese waiter.

The luxury chocolate companies have been making chile-chocolate bars for many years. The candied chiles are new to me--must try. The first photo is gorgeous and the method sounds a lot like making maraschino cherries. Time consuming, but worth it.

I've eaten it, not made it. Somehow can't imagine this with pastry cream...Yours looks very nice. maybe a little denser than the ones I've had.Pretty tomatoes!

As a former PhillieGuleter (that's some word), I am all for RTM. And can't think of anything else except Art Institute--not nearly as fun.

Funny, I have made pastry with just about every kind of animal fat you can think of but never crossed my mind to make it with olive oil; these applications you name sound perfect, and I can even imagine a very rustic crostata with plums or other stone fruit. I think I blocked out pastries with oil--too horrific-tasting 70s natural-foodish or something. But this makes sense to me.

But it is the coffee grinds that make disposals back up--really, they're a no-no--so you have a Faustian bargain here.

I would certainly try baking--treating them like pears.Which means I might try pickling them, too.

Some rosemary syrup and rose hip syrup that I made about 4 years ago and that I use, sparingly, for cocktails and as a garnish for cheese. I have some really ancient dried morels, and whenever I use them, I find them still just fine.

If you don't run your dishwasher until all plates are used (which is what I do, who live alone), then it's you have a full rotation every time. With my Ginori, however, which has gold rims that noticably wear, I intentionally draw from the bottom of the stack when I am using fewer than 12 plates, putting the clean ones on top.