LindaK

My answer may seem strange but here it goes, in two parts... I find ANY sustained cooking task--chopping, basting, pastry, making a souffle, whatever--completely therapeutic so long as I'm not pressed for time. Which unfortunately is more often than not. Sometimes the nicest thing I can do for myself is to forego the Friday night out, turn off the phone, and stay home with a new or favorite recipe, some good music, and some wine. My other odd-ball relaxation is cleaning up from a successful dinner party. It doesn't matter how hectic the prep, I always enjoy the company and the meal. But I get the greatest sense of satisfaction when it's 2 am, I shut the door behind the last guest, and look at what's left behind. All those dishes, wine glasses, pans, and the late hour tell me that everyone had a great evening. So I put on some cool music, load the dishawasher, wash the crystal by hand, put the empty wine bottles in the recycle bin, and when it's all over, pour myself a small cognac. But unlike fifi, I dread unloading the dishwasher in the morning.

Galleygirl and I share the same faves. I'd add to her Chinatown list Penang, a Malaysian restaurant that is a cut above in atmosphere to most in Chinatown (for example, Peach Farm has the most sublime scallops--in shell with garlic and sometimes vermicelli--and softshell crabs, but the basement location, harsh lighting and formica tables can scare off folks who don't know better). Sage in the NE is great but pricey. Don't bother with Smith and Wollensky or Grill 23, nothing "Boston" about them. If you're staying in Copley you are a short walk to the South End, a neighborhood that was not long ago (so I hear) pretty scary but now is the home of some of the best restaurants in Boston. I like Metropolis and Franklin Cafe as bar-restaurant-hangouts but if you want fine dining, then Hammersley's Bistro (only eaten there once, it was great), Perdix (haven't been there since it moved from Jamaica Plain, it was wonderful), and Union, a newcomer. Or just walk around and read menus, there are too many good places in that neighborhood to name...Aquitaine, Nightingale, others. I must admit, many of my favorite restaurants are in Cambridge. Someone mentioned the Blue Room, always great. I also like Salts, Oleana, and the Helmund (Afghan cuisine, delicious, affordable but classy, and unusual). These are all in the Kendall/Central Square area. If you're looking for restaurant icons, there are Harvest and Rialto in Harvard Square. As for being in town for St. Patrick's Day, best to stay clear of the tourist pubs. Though Matt Murphy's (with the excellent fish and chips) is safely away from the mayhem.

I abstained only because I thought we were discussing condiments that came in jars, bottles, etc. If not, I'd have to put lemon juice at the top of my desert island condiment list.

Your pictures and descriptions are wonderful. First Bun Bo Hue, now Banh Xeo. I hope you have time for the extra work but you clearly have a following here. Keep posting! A couple of things I would find useful: -- some discussion of ingredients that are important to Vietnamese cuisine. I'm thinking especially of fish sauce, which I never use aside from making nouc cham--because I don't understand it as a flavoring agent, condiment, etc. How do you use it? how does a neophite learn to incorporate it in their cooking? -- in the totally selfish category, you're from Boston, so am I and probably others reading this. Would you be willing to post a "ISO dining partners" thread in the New England forum to organize an outing at one of your favorite Vietnamese restaurants? I'll help...it would be great to have someone who knows the cuisine lead us through a menu.

easy, 1. good tamari/soy sauce 2. maille mustard 3. sriracha hot sauce 4. several good bottled salsas I didn't list items like fresh lemon or lime juice, fresh v. dried parsley, etc. because I don't consider them condiments, they hold a superior rank in which no substitutes are allowed. how about what i'll never use: bottled mayo, pestos. I'll bet there are some of you who would NEVER consider using prepared salsa (as I do during the 9 months in the NE when fresh tomatoes aren't available) and as many who think nothing of reaching for bottled lemon juice or mayo. On a desert island? I suppose I'd relent. Otherwise I'd rather do without.

Okay. I've seen this post out there seemingly forever. I finally got around to reading how many pages? about cauliflower. How could I not try this. So. Just took my first batch from the oven. Am taking my very first bite now. Hot. My verdict: yum. More than yum. It actually lives up to the hype. Though "french fries" are not the first thing that comes to mind. But who cares, this is good, I don't know if there will be any left to make it to a plate with the rest of the dinner. I used the 20 minutes per side guideline and wouldn't change a thing--but all ovens are different. Definitely a keeper and will try the variations and creative uses (esp. soup) Merci!

guppymo, this is most unkind. No recipe, no address for running out right now and ordering some? I'm a soup nut (almost every day for lunch, sometimes for dinner) and pho is easily near the top of my Top 10. Vietnamese food is probably my favorite Asian cuisine but aside from spring rolls and a very inauthentic ginger chicken recipe, my repetoire is nul. I would especially want some info on how you prepare the broth--that's one of those things that distinguishes Vietnames food for me. A good pho is ambrosial, but your Bun Bo Hue looks like stiff competition.

The canal is unique in Paris. Of course there is the Seine but this smaller body of water is very intimate, it seems so much a part of the neighborhood. The cafes and restaurants on the streets that run alongside are just across the street so you get the fun of watching people stroll besides the canal. Or stroll it yourself, there's always someone playing guitar...It has functioning locks and drawbridges too at some stops, the few times I saw them in action was a treat--made it hard to believe that you were in the middle of Paris. I don't know if it's permitted to link here to a commercial site (forum host, edit as you see fit) but not long ago I ran across a web site of an American photographer working in Paris who had a series of photographs of the canal and the neighborhood. Long story, but I ended up purchasing a couple as mementos and really enjoy them. Here's the link: photos of Canal St. Martin by David Henry. It will give you a good idea of the beauty of the neighborhood. In the tourism rather than food category: since I didn't have access to a gym there I took to jogging the length of the canal to the Parc de la Villette and doing a tour of the Parc. Another place I love that I might never had found if not for being in that neighborhood. It has tons of open space where your kids can play on the grass (don't try that in the Tuilleries!). The landscaping is so different from the formal gardens elsewhere in the city, you often see classes of architecture students sketching there. And the Parc houses a really interesting science museum, Cité des Sciences et de L'Industrie and the Cité de la Musique, which features lots of music festivals. edited for typo.

Malawry, thanks for such an entertaining blog. I was never in a sorority but hung out with some frat guys in college and late night kitchen raids were part of the fun. I won't venture into the topic of alcohol... Part of the reason I'm enjoying this thread is because the logistics/organization element of your job is so interesting and instructive. My dinner parties are usually in the 8-12 person range and typically take a few hours to pull off. The one time some friends and I cooked a sit down dinner for 35, it took several days of planning, shopping, and prep. So I'm really impressed by what you pull off on a daily basis.

No one thus far has mentioned chorizo, the spiced sausage that has a home in spanish, portuguese, and mexican cusine. Most that I've found are made with paprika, which gives it a lovely color as well as flavor. The heat factor varies. it works well as the main item or as an ingredient. I'm definitely not an expert but have found the range of chorizo to be remarkable. Recently I used a mild, smoked portuguese chorizo in a seafood stew (yummy). And someone at a local spanish market recommended one from Columbia and it's fabulous--I served it up with beans and rice, and a side of kale sauted with garlic. Simple but delicious. Once a friend turned up with some when all I had was plain ol' chicken breasts, we sliced up the chorizo, threw them together in a pan and baked them together (chorizo produces a lot of flavorful oil) and it totally transformed the chicken. Anyone with some expertise here could probably teach the rest of us a lot.

Your address is only a few blocks from a place where I lived for a few weeks in Sept/Oct 2003, I was on the rue Bichat. I really loved the neighborhood, though will admit that it did not necessarily make a great first impression, it was much more funky than the more bourgoise quartiers that I had been used to in Paris. It's very diverse, gives you an entirely new sense of Paris. Being near the Canal is fabulous. For the more traditional French grocery shopping, the Marché Alibert is the best in the area, it will have everything you want and more, it should be fun for your kids. I was somewhat disappointed at not having a vast selections of smaller traditional shops such as fromageries, etc. in my immediate neighborhood but you don't have to travel far for them. I do remember a wonderful boulangerie - patisserie on the Av. Parmentier, Au Levain du Marias. Excellent!! There are some really wonderful small restaurants, bistros and wine bars in the area, esp. on the other side of the canal. Also, the Oberkampf area has some great places to shop and eat. I'm so jealous, I enjoyed my time there so much. And I vote for the Michelin #14 map, easy to read and small enough to stash away when not in use.

sabg, the only instructions I've ever seen for house-cured salt cod is in The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judi Rogers. It doesn't appear to be difficult but based on Roger's comments about the odor, I hope you have a second refrigerator. I love salt cod but have never considered curing it myself. One advantage is that you can vary the length of the cure. For example, Rogers indicates that she serves a salt cod carpaccio with house-cured cod that has been salted for only 2-3 days. Sounds delicious but I wouldn't try it with the stuff I buy from the store. The last time I made brandade was the evening of a really big snowstorm in January. Perfect cold weather food for a bunch of friends.

My thanks as well. This would be a good place to consolidate information and experiences about Ikea cabinetry--there are so many other threads on eG that reference it as a source without necessarily having lived through the experience. For what it's worth, I am fortunate enough to count many architects among my friends and most have Ikea as the foundation of their kitchens. Why? Given that they are also on a budget, they tell me : high marks on design combined with quality details such as hardware, etc. Now that I'm working on my own kitchen renovation plans, i am weighing the benefits of saving $$ on cabinetry like Ikea against the other hard costs of a renovation. Personally, I'd rather spend the money on the range or countertops. Consumer Reports published an article about kitchen renovation last year that ranked cabinetry. Ikea did very well against the higher priced semi-custom cabinetry models.

yes, thank you. this is it exactly...

With the grand exception of fried chicken skin, most other posts have been about sweets. I now realize that one shows a preference for sweet v. savory early in life. My favorite childhood food treats: - apple slices dipped in Marie's chunky blue cheese salad dressing - potato pancakes topped with sour cream. lots of sour cream. - codfish cakes (made with salt cod). This must be my all-time favorite, since I would sneak some of the uncooked mixture before the cakes were fried, eat fried cakes until stuffed, and the next morning would bolt to the refrigerator to eat the leftovers cold for breakfast. I still crave salt cod. yes, my sisters thought I was wierd. Anyone else have any similary odd food "treats" as a kid?

I was introduced to the parchment cartouche during a cooking stint in France and now use it during a matter of course in braises, etc. It doesn't weigh things down as does the Turkish pan Paula shows here (what a lovely piece!), but as Carswell describes, it does prevent that top layer from drying out. No one has mentioned this, but I use it both with and without a regular pan lid. Without when I want some evaporation (it isn't air tight) and with when I don't but want to protect that very top layer.

thanks, I've been told that before but never seem to make it over there. guess that tells you the shallow depth of my forays into asian cooking. My only excuse is that I'm fortunate to have asian friends who are excellent cooks--I'm lazy because I'm spoiled.

guppymo, I also shop at the "88" in Boston (love it) and will be sure to look for the ready-made dipping sauce you posted. That's always been the weak point with my own spring rolls, my nuoc cham always seems to be lacking something. I'm convinced that the recipes I've read are holding out on the secret ingredient. Can't get the fish sauce/other ingredient ratio right. My peanut sauce, however, is fab. And for the record, sriracha hot sauce is the best ever. sorry tabasco (maybe a topic for another thread...) Daddy-A, I've followed your advice to Varmint on his kitchen renovations. I'll trade you a tray of spring rolls for your so-called lack of talent any day.

Served last night for dessert at the end of an all-fondue meal: A large platter of sliced fresh fruit (pineapple, bananas, strawberries) and a bowl of melted chocolate. Give everyone a fork and watch the feeding frenzy begin. My friend used Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips, so managed both good chocolate and the convenience of not having to chop. Melt over a double boiler. That's it. Chunks of pound cake would be a nice addition but an all-fruit selection makes it "light."

Varmint, I've been following your kitchen renovation plans with awe. I'm only now summoning the courage to start planning my own, I hope I can do as well as I think you've done. I'm late to this thread but here are a couple of my favorite vegetarian pastas that might see you through: pasta puttanesca. black olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, lots of chopped fresh parlsey in a coarse tomato sauce. The flavors are strong and robust, very satisfying--and quick to assemble. pasta with roasted eggplant. This is one of my favorite "leftover" pastas. Thick slices of eggplant topped with minced garlic, parsley, drizzed with evoo, roasted until tender. I make it initially as a side dish for poultry or as the base for slices of roasted red pepper, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil. Make plenty so you have extra for pasta the next day. Coarsely chop the leftover eggplant, rewarm in a little evoo, and toss with short pasta and some grated parm cheese. Tastes very rich, it will (almost) make you forget the lack of pork.

I love mine, it works beautifully. It has "macina-legumi" imprinted on the handle, not sure if that's the brand name or not. It has the three interchangeable disks (which is very practical) and--as Smithy noted--the all-important rough edge near each hole. It wasn't expensive, about $30 some years ago, and is a great tool to have on hand.

Years ago when I took a few classes at the Ecole Ritz Escoffier, Dehillerin gave their discounts to "les élèves" (students) also--so if you're enrolled in any type of culunary program, it is worth enquiring. Agreed that their pricing system is somewhat annoying. But worth it IMHO. Even with the lousy exchange rate last year I bought a few copper pieces at a great price. They carry some products under their own name that are priced very reasonably and the quality is excellent.

I'm not surprised, but couldn't help wondering. Now I wonder if Water's project and Louvre location wasn't a savvy way to get around that "glass ceiling."

wow--a mouth-watering photo, thanks for the link, though now I'm coveting one of those lovely pans she uses. I've been mulling over various menus for a very informal dinner gathering tomorrow night and now I know what I'll be making for dessert. This time of year I only have access to frozen cherries but I think I'll they'll do. yum!

this is what I meant by not equating the Louvre with Las Vegas. Of course the Louvre is a cultural treasure, not just a stop on the tourist bus circuit. If my post read otherwise, mea culpa. and I want to be sure that I don't imply that the project was envisioned solely for the revenue. What I know of Alice Waters comes mostly from mainstream and foodie media but whether it be her culinary vision, championing of local farmers, or getting urban school kids to experience gardening, etc. she's a hero in my book. But as someone else noted, she's a savvy businesswomen as well as an idealist. chefzadi says it more eloquently but this my question. whether it be Las Vegas (where I've never been) or Epcot Center (where I have) and their replicas of Europe, I at least wonder about how well something travels from the terroir that launched it, whether that be in the U.S. or Europe.I raised this in the first place only because the comparison jumped out at me and it seemed compelling in a cross-cultural context. The next logical question for those of you who know (I don't) is whether other U.S. chefs have opened restaurants in France--or elsewhere in Europe--and whether they've succeeded.