C_Ruark

Lost Dog Cafe is a local fave. Good food and a good cause. Go there and get the t-shirt. I love the place because my girlfriend and I tend to have asynchronous pizza eating habits. So, one can get a personal pizza, and the other a salad or very tasty sandwich. What's also nice is the beer selection. I'd definitely recommend it! But... you might have to wait a bit on a weekend (40 min's) for a seat. If that's too much time, they do deliver free. There is also sister outfit, Stray Cat Cafe at the other end of the mall strip which is good (no pizza). A Lebanese Taverna nearby as well. ~C PS - In Fairfax Town Center (and other locales I'm sure) there is a Pommadora's (sp?) Italian Restaurant which puts out a good pizza product. Give them a try as well.

Hi GG, Agree with Carrot Top... outsourcing desserts to mass-producers is a HUGE peeve because of the relative drop in quality. I can understand if a place can't afford a full time p-chef (though the investment is darn worth it!), but even a part-timer would suffice; provided they are allowed to control the menu and train a few full-timers to do some simple dessert work. A good dessert never needs to be overly complex. And filling up my plate with some freezer-burned sugary mess that tastes like refrigerant is a sure-fire turnoff.

Many thanks for the book reference, G. I've got my bookseller placing an order. Hmm... give as a gift... thanks also for a great holiday idea!

G, What are some guidelines for producing a decent plate? Can you recommend an online resource for cheese research? Thanks! ~C

Hmm... been experimenting with the cheese plates concepts here (Wash DC). I like the idea; gives an opportunity to try cheeses that fall into the "if you like that, try this..." category. A recent example served with crostini, wafers, tuilles (etc) and a fruit paste like pear, quince and/or apple butter. - Port Salut - Manchego - Forme d'Ambert - Guinness/White Cheddar (I think; don't know exactly) - Baked Brie - Chevre with lemon zest The plate is filled in with thin slices of crisp apples (different varieties). About wine pairings ( ), that's the next trick. With all the different notes on a plate like this, I have no clue... but three glasses - Cab, a Riesling, and a Gruener Veltliner - accompany the set. Perhaps a sommelier could weigh in with some advice?

Here's the website for PDC's album Click here

Hear, Hear to Great Chefs. I am into my 24th year of addiction... ... which started on PBS, BTW. Mary Lou Conroy has taught me a lot since 1982. Oh, and don't forget to pay respects to Julia Child. She is the quintessential teacher. She once wrote [to paraphrase]: "You're not cooking if you haven't used every single pot and pan at your disposal". Sometimes, just the act of cleaning as you go works as a suitable timer. ~C

Hey Tan, My many thanks for the book and thread help. ~ C

You can go on self-promoting. Beautiful dish, gorgeous photo. ~ C

Off-topic: but I glanced and saw Toliver's post Know you're asking someone else, but... Ginger bread pudding rocks; love the spice already but I REALLY like the sweet/spicy combo here. Top-shelf Ginger Pudding - simplified version : I bake a white bread with grated ginger (follow your fave raisin-bread recipe as a guide) to start. Go on to make the pudding as instructed. For a simple sauce: a redux of a good ginger beer, cinnamon, and a little sugar. You can cut it with birch beer to widen the flavor a bit. Play around with the idea, I had a lot of fun arriving at the plating we use. If you come up with a good product, please let me know. I like hearing about new variations. ~ C

Bingo Tan!!!! Thanks. That's the version I am after. Now, to crunch numbers and budget it! ~C

- hit the wrong button to edit -

Eh... poutine... eh... I wasn't wholely sober when I had it. BTW, Montreal... What kills it (the KFC bowl)? The textures: Squish Corn Cheese Gravy Breading (when soaked) Firm Chicken Crisp ????????

How do "I don't like foods TOUCHING!"-people cope with hamburgers? Wut about gyros, hotdogs, shepherd's pie, salmon coulibiac, beef Wellington, tourines, Jamaican beef patties, Devonshire and Cornish pasties? How bout a simple freakin' sandwich? Touchie-touchie-touchie all over the place, there. ← I'm one who doesn't like food to touch, but it's not really about the complete segregation model like you're thinking. I think of it as "flavor sets"; things that should "go together" do, things that - IMHO - don't, aren't going to touch on my plate. Does that mean I use segmented plates? No. Do I avoid gyros? Heck No! a good gyro particularly one eaten in Crete is a beautiful thing; but I knife-and-fork it, leaving the pita last. Will I manually segregate? Yep, if it seems right to do so and won't embarass the table company. Rationale as to why I do it: 1. I pay particular attention to what I eat; because I am a foodie, because I cook, and because I might find something to rip off (like any of Chef Andres food ). I want taste and experience each component to check taste and quality (primary colors) and then mix and match (secondary colors). I want to know what I am eating (even if Fergus made it). 2. I eat in a sequence; most of the time. Side, side, main unless Gramma's green beans are served, then they take precedence. 3. As a kid I was revolted by my Dad's habits of what he calls "throw and go"; piling things haphazardly on a plate, not caring if the beets bleed into the jello or the mash potatoes mixing with salad. NOW ABOUT THE BOWL: If it had been mashed+"not-creamed" corn (yum) and chicken (dark meat pref). I'd eat it; got lost when the other junk was "fired for effect". ~C

You are a Saint, J! Many thanks (again). I'll ante up, hopefully, soon. ~ C

HEHEHEHEHE. That's brilliant! ~ C

Comrade eGer's, I am trying to pick up a copy of Alain D's Spoon cookbook for my collection. Problem is: it's not showing up in Amazon/Borders or B&N warehouse search engine (on line and in stores) any more. I do have the ISBNs for the tradeback and hardbound editions - either would be grand. While his website has them both for sale, I would like avoid having to negotiate in Euros (darn exchange rate). Do y'all know of a stateside retailer who's 'currently' carrying either/both of the books? Thanks! ~ C

Thanks much!!! That worked. Skinless ravioli?... ... ... wow. ~ C

I think doing all that television might be teaching Chef B some bad habits :chuckle:. NO disrespect (quite the opposite). Lot's of little vingettes in his book this time. I like his writing style in NB immensely. The no-nonsense "screw settting up the action and cut to the chase" approach works for me. It's different than KC for sure, but then again, I think he expects that most readers are already acquainted with him. That allows him to roll right through from one story to another. Maybe it's because I can see from his side of the fence, maybe it's because I hate McDonald's just as much as he does (but probably cannot say anymore for contractual reasons). Whatever the cause, the book is good.

For those interested in the original documentary Tony undewrote and produced on Ferran, El Bulli and and Adria's "taller", here's the DVD. The Food Network refused to produce it for him as part of A Cook's Tour, so Tony took his "pirate crew" (who eventually became Zero Point Zero) and shot it themselves - out of Tony's pocket. It's about time we all got a chance to see this:http://www.ecookbooks.com/index.html ← Is there an alt link or POS? Maybe I'm hitting it at the wrong time of day, but the refuses to load up. ~ C

LMAO.. Australian's don't drink Fosters. We export it for a reason. Glad you got a laugh. One of my workmates (Brisbane native) confirms your statement . His g/f (from Chicago) always buys the stuff because she thinks it will remind him of home. He doesn't have the heart to tell her it's undrinkable. // gfron1 // RE: The green-chili wine ! Creative. If you tried, how was it? ~ C

I hit the wrong button to edt.

Brilliant post Janet! Thanks, ~C

Surprised no one's mentioned Delirium Tremens! THAT is a great beer. ~ C

Det Lille Apotek is a must hit! http://www.det-lille-apotek.dk/ It's on Store Kanikkestraad (sp?) near the norreport station. ~ C