JasonZ

Fascinating topic ... I'm not involved in the food writing business, but part of my job in a pharmaceutical company is reading, reviewing and approving every document (abstract, poster, slide set, manuscript) for scientific and medical content and accuracy that comes out of several of our product teams ... as well as being the final corporate/ethical sign off for anything that goes onto governmental (and publicly accessible) registries dealing with our clinical studies. As a matter of course, we use medical writers to assist, but the creative work and final responsibility for the contents of the documents are with the authors ... and there is full internal recognition of the medical writers in assisting very bright scientists achieve accuracy and clarity, which may not be their best skills. When I buy a celebrity cookbook, I assume that the recipes are theirs (even if someone else has recomputed restaurant quantities to family size quantities) and that the personal anecdotes/life stories are their as well. In some cases, the ghost writer isn't a ghost ... they're acknowledged on the jacket or on the Intro page ... in other cases, I can tell there's a ghost writer simply because the diction of the chef on TV and the writing style of the book are so clearly different (unless some chefs are also schizophrenic with a multiple personality disorder!!). I don't expect great chefs to also be great writers ... but I expect them to be ethical enough to acknowledge when the 'work product' has included a significant contribution from someone else. The front matter usually acknowledges tasters, family and friends, editors, publicists ... why not also "xx, who helped convert my thoughts, recipes, and memories, into the lucid and entertaining form you, the reader, are holding today"?

Hi Whitetrufflechick: I have a 13 yr old carnivore and a 16 yr old ballerina who's just converting from vegetarian/fish to "chicken's OK", so I know what you're going through. Italian Market and Reading Terminal Market are great suggestions -- remember to bring cash for IM, since some great places there don't do credit cards. If she likes Korean, you may want to look at Thai or Vietnamese as well, would suggest Pho75 on Washington Street for PhoBo, the national "make your own variety" soup ... Also would recommend cheesesteak at either Pat's or Gino's (they face each other). For Saturday night, if you'd like to go more upscale, if you haven't already done pasta, think about Penne (restaurant and wine bar) at 36th & Walnut (Hilton Inn at Penn) ... ask for a seat at the "chef's table" and if Roberta Adamo is there (she's the exec chef and trained at the Ritz and the Brasserie Perrier, but her chef de cuisine, Eilleen Watkin, trained at CIA, so either is superb), let her know what your daughter enjoys and she'll come up with something special and spectacular (my 13 year old hates "restaurants" but loved this place and many parents come here when their kids are involved in activities at Penn's facilities) ... If you've already done pasta, try either Roy's (15th at Sansom) or Davio's (7th & Chestnut, 2nd floor). Roy's is fish/seafood, Hawaiian/Pan Asian style -- with super desserts; Davio's is a Northern Italian steakhouse that does just about anything (including chicken and Jail Island salmon) and has a pastry chef to die for. My 16 yr old loved both of them when she was back here from school (she's a full-time student at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater), and managed to eat and follow her ballerina diet without a problem ... Edit: definitely agree with capogiro -- best Italian ice cream around -- two locations, 13th and Sansome and Rittenhouse Square ... great way to end an evening!!

Are they going to stay open 24/7 also, so "fourthmeal" at 3 am will be possible???

I've lived in NYC for 2 years -- ate at Flay's restaurant several times, would prefer Jean-George Vongerichten's cuisine over Flay's anytime, simply on the sophistication of the prep as well as presentation. Have been fortunate to also be able to eat at Susur's in Toronto many times, at Blue Ginger (Ming Tsai) in Boston frequently and (once) at Tetsuya's in Sydney. Give me Susur over Flay any day. Tsai beat Flay when Ming was on ICA, but it was because these judges vote for the "gladiatorial" showmanship (Ming used a high pressure air pump to inflate the skin away for a Peking duck) and what can be done in just over an hour ... most of Susur's ingredients are made in his kitchen and simply aren't available in ICA's pantry and his dishes can't be rushed. What would Michelangelo do if someone handed him a chunk of marble, a jack hammer, and told him to finish in 60 minutes? Not produce David or the Pieta ... we know what Susur is capable of ... we don't need ICA judges to tell us. Jason

I looked for it in TVF Shop and never found it ... called and found it was never released. What I have been able to find is "Iron Chef America: Battle of the Masters", available on eBay, in Sears, etc. Be careful, though -- there was an Iron Chef knock-off (hosted by William Shatner) on another network (Fox, I think, but I could be mistaken) that is often offered ... and reviews indicate it's not worth the money. If you do find any real Iron Chef, please let the rest of us fans know!! Regards, Jason

Jimay: What an elegant pleating method ... between the two recipes and two closure methods, we now have a world of potstickers!! Thanks so much!!

Used to live 2 blocks from Hymie's/Murray's ... and would still go to Famous Fourth if I wanted Jewish style deli in PHL. None of them will hold a candle to Carnegie Deli in NYC or Katz's, if you want kosher rather than "kosher style" and remember "When Harry Met Sally" .... Agree that PHL's fame comes from cheesesteak, but the taste for pan-Asian defines the current food scene, even in the "older" restaurants -- you might want to look at the Foos, for example: Susanna, with her nationally known fusion cuisine, and sister-in-law Betty (Hunan, Ardmore), with authentic, home-style Hunan cuisine -- both very different, but excellent in their own way. With German food gone, you might want to look at Colonial cuisine, still served here authentically (the menu and the building) at the Second St Tavern ... and also at East Coast seafood (Bookbinders, Sansom Street Oyster House, and the newly revived Striped Bass, with Chris Lee, an up and coming star). Might want to consider Irish ... and go to Ambler and Shanackie Pub and Inn, for Brian Duffy's traditional and new Celtic cuisine and live music 4 nights a week ... ... and yes, if you head out to Lancaster County, you can go the Amish route ... but now we're not in PHL anymore ... These may define Philly better than dim sum and deli ... Regards, Jason

My favorite source for used books is Alibris -- if they don't have it, they will let you leave it on a wish list or even run a search through a consortium of used book dealers. They have a "commercial" section used by libraries and college reference services. For new copies, you might want to try Jessica's Biscuit, which, I find, typically has lower prices than Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc. It specializes in cookbooks and has a far more extensive selection than the others. Regards, Jason

Lexy, the cous cous dish has a more recent origin and is connected to Genova's role in the Mediterranean. One of Genova's colonies on the Northern African shores at the times of the sea-faring republics was the island of Tabarka, inhabited by settlers coming from the ligurian Pegli. They remained there till the eraly XVIII century, when pirate raids and the mounting French influence in the area pushed them to move. They were granted a right to settle on the Sardinian island of San Pietro by Carlo Emanuele III di Savoia and founded the town of Carloforte. Carloforte remains a fascinating and unique place. The people speek a Ligurian dialect, their recipes have a strong Tunisian influence, hence then cous cous, and they are famous for their love for tuna. ← I've been trying to find a recipe I remember from an issue of a long defunct food magazine, called "Simply Seafood" ... the recipe was for a tuna braise, traditional to Sicily. I don't know if it would be the Carloforte recipe or another, but if anyone has such a recipe, I'd love to see it ... Thanks, JasonZ

In cooking classes, I've heard a number of PHL's better known chefs refer to the Head Nut as an excellent place to pick up herbs, spices, unusual ingredients locally. They clearly have not run into any peculiarities in service, although with two members reporting them, hopefully the Management will get the message ... there are other sources and if we're not treated like a customer should be, we can and will take our business elsewhere ...

I was not familiar with conpoy, so I did a bit of searching ... to save anyone else the trouble, here it is: Wikkipedia: Conpoy or Dried scallop (干貝, Cantonese: konpui; Mandarin: Gān beì), Asia Food.org (Glossary): Conpoy Thanks, Ah Leung, for a wonderful lesson ... and an introduction to a new dish!! Regards, Jason

Barbara Tropp, the famous San Francisco Chinese-California fusion chef, suggests the following, in "China Moon Cookbook" (1992, paperback edition, p. 177): "I have several cracked sandpots that have healed themselves. This is strange news from the pen of someone who does not believe in such things. But it is true nevertheless. I think the secret is soy sauce and brown sugar. If you believe in miracles, heat an equal mixture of the two, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool a bit, then paint the goop thickly on the inside and outside of the crack. "Cure" the sandpot upside down on the middle shelf of a preheated 300 degree F oven. Over the course of 15 or 20 minutes, reapply the salve 4 or 5 times. Let the pot cool. Don't wash it. Simply return it for use for your next saucy casserole. This has worked for me on more than one occasion...." Elsewhere (I'm not certain if it was in this cookbook, or in "The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking"), she mentions sealing a sandpot that had developed a leak by cooking a duck dish with a soy/sugar sauce; the mix of duck fat, soy and sugar sealed the pot from the inside while the dish cooked ... Hope this helps. Regards, Jason

that's what I remember seeing in Vancouver so many years ago ... and have never been able to find a place to teach me how ... now, with visuals from Korea and dough directions from Turkey, maybe I can hand throw noodles in Philadelphia!!!

So, it seems while I lived in Manhattan, I didn't find the right Nirvana ... IYHO (not IMHO), how does Sichuan Grand in Chinatown (125 Canal Street) compare to SGI? Are they "related" in the same way the SGI's in various parts of the city are?

Just in case anyone finds this thread and wants more current information, a mail-order source for organically grown, non-GMO bulk soybeans is Fairview Farms "Chambers Family Farm".

Burdock root .... can't find it in oriental grocery stores or in farmers' markets ...

Bond Girl: Let me add my praise -- wonderful story ... and I can relate ... being a guy and having dated women whose eating habits/food thoughts were ... incompatible with mine. I loved your story so much, I shared it with my daughter, who's been reading a lot of not so enjoyable "literature" for her classes ... she deserved a break, something nice to remind her that narrative doesn't have to be heavy, doesn't have to be dull, doesn't have to be work. My only hesitation was having her learn about the Aunt Jemima treatment ... that was a new one to me ... frankly, an overshare!! Keep on looking ... and keep on writing ... and best of luck!! JasonZ

For the New Year, long noodles would be a symbol of longevity ... could you provide a long border in a different color of icing to represent a long noodle? If you wish to mix religious metaphors, in Judaism, for the New Year, a braided bread (challah) is often made circular, so that it has no end ... perhaps if your border noodle is continuous ...

Hi all: I hope you can help me find either a class (preferably in the Boston, NY, Philadelphia area, but I'm willing to travel for knowledge) or an online video or (if no other alternative exists), a book with photos ... on how to hand throw chinese noodles. I remember having a cookbook (I think it was on Hunan cuisine, but I can't be sure) that showed the technique in about 10 photos, but clearly, it is next to impossible to learn the technique in this way. I also remember being at a conference in Vancouver, BC about 7 years ago. There was a restaurant that served fabulous noodles ... and twice a day the chef would come out and demonstrate, for the appreciative customers, the technique. Unfortunately, watching once or twice was not adequate to learn the technique ... Does anyone know of a class in hand throwing? Thanks for any guidance ....

Thank you all for a fascinating education ... it shows me how much I have to learn!! I am European-born, American-raised, but Chinese by gastronomic choice ... may I ask a few questions? I haven't seen the term "Toisanese" in any of my cookbooks -- is it more descriptive of a region, of a people, or a subculture? How can I find out more about its cuisine? Any recommendations for restaurants in NYC that would be Toisanese authentic? Thanks again, JasonZ

Great thread ... So, since I live in Manhattan, any suggestions for where I can buy some and what the best brand is ... I can get to either Chinatown or Flushing Main Street very easily.

Forbes -- Your Health: Living Longer, Drinking More In an article on Forbes.com, there is a discussion of the changes in drinking habits of people as they age ... based on a study being published in the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health. The article concludes .What I found interesting, and somewhat disturbing was the definition of "drinking": .Do you think one drink a month constitutes "drinking"?

In addition to the recipe that Barbara Tropp has -- she has different master sauces in the "China Moon Cookbook" (more California fusion in style) and in her "Modern Art of Chinese Cooking" (more traditional) -- Eileen Yin-Fei Lo, in her "Chinese Kitchen", has an interesting section on lo soi (which she translates as "old water"). She also has a single recipe using the same technique in "Chinese Chicken Cookbook". Tropp's recipes include master sauce chicken, black mushrooms and eggs. I've done all and they are superb. Ken Hom also had a recipe in one of his books on vegetarian cooking. I kept that one going for 4 years, until I moved overseas and couldn't take it with me. My current version, the Lo "original" recipe, has been going for about 6 months. Both Tropp and Lo indicate that you should use a different batch for fish vs. other things, to avoid an undesirable "melding" of flavors. I would imagine liver falls into the same category. Lo describes putting the herbs and whole spices in cheesecloth so they can be easily removed after the first or second use. She also strains the lo once it has cooled and stores it in the refrigerator or freezer, depending on how frequently you intend to use it. Yes, she suggests not defatting it, for ease of storage, like the French technique for confit. She recommends bringing it out on a regular basis if it hasn't been used for a while, bringing it to a boil, then letting it cool and back into the freezer. From time to time, it will need to be replenished ... Since we've used sourdough as an analogy, remember that if you're not using your starter on an everyday basis (most home cooks don't), you have to feed the starter on a regular basis to keep it fresh and going ... In Chiu Chow restaurants (Lo describes this as belonging to that subculture's cooking repertoire), this isn't necessary, because there is always something simmering in the pot ... and restaurants have been known to keep their sauces going for > 75 years -- the recipe she includes is said to be from a chef who started it when young and had maintained it for > 50 years. Perhaps if you have family recipes, we should share those? Regards, WGW / JasonZ

The DVD of Eat, Drink, Man, Woman includes an interview with the director, who is a "stay at home" dad and loves to cook for his family. He was intimately and technically involved in setting up the cooking scenes from his own experience. There were 8 kitchens used to make the scene in which the hero is called back to his hotel for a food "emergency" -- review the scene and see if you can see the merges (I can't). Anyway, my favorite food film, by a country mile. JasonZ

Interesting comments ... personally, I preferred a show on the early seasons of TVFN -- Chef du Jour. It allowed chefs who couldn't commit to a season or didn't want to put up with the theatrics of Iron Chef to participate. It was my first look at Susur Lee, for example, and it allowed for real recipes and real planning. Re judging, ICA has truly been disappointing. At least in the Japanese series, there was a constant -- the food editor of Tokyo's premier newspaper. She provided both a consistency of taste and a modicum of experience and expertise. Finally, even in the pre-season "Battle of the Masters", the judges who should have been "experts" (i.e., editors from Saveur, Food & Wine; Zagat's), as has been noted, seemed to have an abysmal sense of what food should be and how to describe it. One has to wonder how this lack reflects in the magazines. At least the choice of Alton Brown, and his role in the show, is an improvement compared to the original -- he has time to provide a real background and information for the viewer. In the Flay-Bayless battle, he spent a couple of minutes on types of peppers, how to grade their heat, etc. So, will I watch it? Yes. Will I consider it culinary education? About as much as "Emeril Live" -- i.e., none.