lexy

Wow, looks great Ling! That date's one to hang onto by the look of those photos!

How much are they normally - was that a significant discount?

With dim sum though, you choose what you'd like to eat from a selection of offerings. With tasting menus, you usually get no (or little) choice: the idea is to experience the chef's ideas about food, and to do so you relinquish all the decision-making. The 'small bites' concept is similar, but I'd say dim sum is more like tapas than a tasting menu.

This is sort what I'm afraid of actually! I already have all kinds of ingredients that I bought because they looked interesting, or for one recipe, cluttering up my pantry The kind I bought are the flat, slightly brittle sheets about the size of an (A4) piece of paper. Thanks for the suggestions, I like the idea of wrapping things in them … I'll try some experiments with that I think.

Ditto - I'm interested in seeing what a Chinese kitchen set-up looks like. Fast food-type dishes have been mentioned, but does China have somewhat bastardised versions of Western dishes that are popular? (In the same way that you'll find such classically authentic Chinese dishes as chop suey and lipstick-red sweet and sour chicken in the West ) If your family is already familiar with some Western dishes, preparing slightly more authentic versions might ease the shock of the new a little.

Wow, there's no way I could shop like that, especially at somewhere with as much gorgeous-looking produce as your market - if I don't come with a list, I'll walk out with everything that caught my eye, having spent an entire month's food budget, and with more ingredients than I know what to do with!

Wow, amazing thread - this is one of the things I love about eGullet: you could fit everything I know about Mexican cuisine (or about Mexico for that matter) into a thimble, but now I feel compelled to learn (or at least eat) something about it. I assume the tart Rick Bayless made is not quite a traditional Mexican dessert - what sorts of things are? I'm imagining maybe sweetened corn puddings, fruit-based sweets, …?

I bought some dried bean curd sheets to use in Gourmet's Buddha's Delight recipe (February 2006 issue if you're curious). I like them in the soup, but I'm not really sure what to do with the remaining skins. Other than throwing them in more soups, the only thing I can think of is to wrap things in them … What are the normal uses for this ingredient? Thanks!

Agreed, I love Cambodiana. A few recent notes: I went to Ta-Ke (Ta•Ke? not sure) Sushi after christmas. I didn't have any sushi, because when I noticed their Korean section of the menu I decided to opt for bibimbap (I had my first - and really good - bibimbap in New York about a year ago, and now I'm always searching for more ). Anyway, the bibimbap was fine - not bad, but not mind-blowing or anything. I loved the pickles that came with it (I ate mine, and most of everyone else's as well), and the miso starter was nice as well. Vegetable tempura was, again, fine but not outstanding. I'll probably visit again, but if there were better Japanese/Korean options in Kingston, I probably wouldn't go back. And ate at Curry Original last weekend. I feel like this place used to be a lot better - I'm not sure if it's nostalgia, if it's because I'm living in the UK (much better Indian in general), or if it actually has gone downhill a little, but I just wasn't that impressed. Also, I hate how everytime I eat at Curry Original, they seem to have overbooked the place - we had a 6 o'clock reservation, and there was already a queue of people having to wait as much as half an hour for their tables - this was Kingston on a Monday night, they ought to be able to handle things a little better I think.

Woah, pretzels … and that white cheese dust! Where have you been all my life? Are these like éclairs? I've never heard of a long john before

Um, my mother always uses either strawberry or raspberry, but I think that's because those are the two kinds she makes, and there's always some needing to be used up. (Shocking, I know - but she does make a lot of jam!) I'd just go with whatever red jam makes you happy.

I think the jam is the key differentiating factor. There probably are some slight differences between the actual cakes themselves, but in my mind, a Victoria Sandwich Cake is essentially a pound cake with jam.

Been there … came home from an early-morning rowing outing last fall and climbed back into bed with a big mug of tea and what was going to be a few bicuits - ended up eating an entire tube

I just knew that someone was going to say that!

Very pretty folding job! (I'm the queen of lumpy, mis-shapen potstickers)

Off topic, but out of curiousity, is there a discrepancy between your findings and the caloric information given on the nutritional labels? "Snack heroin" for me: • dried and fresh fruit (it's almost worse than crisps or biscuits because I justify it to myself as being healthy; in the summer I can eat shocking amounts of fresh berries) • toast with butter and honey - I could easily live off this • biscuits, especially oaty-type ones (Hobnobs if store-bought, and I'll kill for nice homemade oatmeal-raisin) • flapjack …mmm • dry cereal, out of the box • and when I'm at home I have a terrible problem with constantly sneaking little spoonfuls of my mum's mincemeat from her jar in the fridge, it's just so good …

*drooool…* Would it be wrong for me to visit Paris solely to eat pastries?

I like routine, so I guess I eat the same meals more than most people. Obviously there are exceptions, but when I'm feeding myself (ie not eating in college): Breakfast is always tea and oatmeal (preferably steel-cut oats, salt not sugar). Lunch is usually some sort of sandwich, more tea, and an apple, with additions depending on what's on hand. I like to have another cup of tea around 4ish as well. Clearly I have a tea problem.

I'll never again put the magazine whose recipe I'm using on an 'off' ring, and then decide to switch rings … and turn on the ring under the magazine. It was nearly hot enough to burst into flames before I noticed.

interesting - it sounds as if peanut butter tastes have a lot more to do with what one ate when growing up than other foods. Personally, I can't stand "un-natural" peanut butters like Jif, Sun-Pat, et al. Probably because I was raised on natural, chunky, "just peanuts" peanut butter, but those processed kinds don't taste like peanut butter to me - too smooth, too sweet, and not peanuty enough.

that was my first thought too, but how many people actually do? How many people have we all met who won't even eat raw fish (and c'mon, sushi's been in the mainstream for a really long time now, compared to say Ethiopean food)? ← Sorry, I sensed as soon as I'd posted that that I should have qualified it a bit. Toronto has a great selection of ethnic cuisines, and I love it for that, but I wouldn't say that there's much adventurous cooking going on - you can get plenty of good food, but I can't think of many places that are pushing many boundaries. Looking at the pictures from Lobby, I feel like I've seen many of those dishes, or at least ideas, before - and done better as well. Still, you can't fault them for trying.

hmm, interesting … I'd always written Lobby off as an overpriced 'scene and be seen' kind of place. Too be honest though, I don't see molecular gastronomy taking off in a huge way in Toronto. There are a lot of things I like about the food scene in Toronto, but I don't think it's expecially adventurous or cohesive.

As has been pointed out, Oxford isn't exactly a fine dining mecca; I think your best bet is to go with cheaper student-y places (which sounds like it fits your budget better anyway). Here are a few places that I've been to (I'm a vegetarian), or have heard good things about: Chutney's: Indian restaurant, supposed to be quite good, and vegetarian-friendly. 36 Michael's Street The Rose: This is more a tea shop than a restaurant. They do nice (but not very veggie-friendly) breakfasts and lunches, so I wouldn't recommend it for a meal, but they do lovely afternoon teas, with nice (meat free, obviously) sweets and a pretty good selection of leaf teas. 51 High Street. Vaults & Garden: This place is great: veggie friendly, organic, and a nice location (if it's a nice day, try and snag an outside table). Go after 2:30 for a 20% student discount. Radcliffe Square. Aziz: I haven't been here, but I'm dying to try it - it's supposed to be one of England's best curry houses. Being Indian, it has fairly decent vegetarian/lactose-free selections. 228 Cowley Road. Kazbar: Another place I haven't checked out, but have heard good things about. Tapas, so food meeting your requirements is probably available. 25 Cowley Road. Red Star: Ok, maybe it's not haute cuisine, but I love this place. It's a noodle bar, and although it doesn't have a great vegetarian selection, the stuff I've had there I've liked alot. I recommend either of the two vegetarian noodle soups in particular. 187 Cowley Road. Along with these, there are a lot of cafés and sandwich shops in the city centre that do vegetarian sandwiches and salads (check out the Alternative Tuck Shop in particular)

Chips and cheese from the kebab vans, or chips and hummus sometimes - sort of a British poutine. To be eaten while weaving one's way home.

Well, I'm sure you have all been tossing and turning at night waiting to find out where I did end up going to dinner for my birthday … The disappointing answer is that we didn't we go out - due to some family-related complications, my parents and brother were out of town, and only got back the same day I did, and nobody felt much like going out, so we had a home-cooked birthday dinner at home (however, I can recommend my mum's pizza as the best in Kingston!) Anyway, to keep this thread slightly on track, last week we ordered takeout from the Thai place on Princess next to Curry Village (sorry, can't remember the name - I think it was mentioned upthread) The takeout wasn't that great; I don't know how their takeout compares to the sitdown experience, maybe it's a bit better in the actual restaurant. I had an eggplant-coconut milk curry, which was nice enough, but was mostly coconut sauce with a handful of vegetables floating around. The noodles the rest of family ordered (if I can find the menu, I'll give specific dish names) were pretty good, so I would probably go with those if we ordered from there again. They do give a 10% student discount though, so I suspect I may be returning there …