C_Ruark

Well... next time hit the "Etoile d'Or" franchise!!! Much better results IMHO. I am still envious none-the-less!!! I work in Washington DC and a local chili parlor slings a variety of Cincy chili that is nearly demonic. It's pasty, red, lacks the nearly-hidden dark chocolate "bite". Wanted or not, the bowl (!) is topped with a handful reconstituted onions and less cheese than Toxic Hell adds to their tacos. I miss home... - CSR

Oh, those funny French guys... ... how do you say "Les Halles" again??? Cheers, - CSR

Yup... you're right about Treacle. Brits say "Tree-kill". Now, how is Arugula pronounced in the land of HRH? (Actually, it's a trick question. If you said "Rocket"...congrats). -- Those who read on, forgive my longwindedness, I am as passionate about languages as I am cooking... ... actually, I pontificated out of frustration and went off topic, so I deleted the long rant I left. Certain times, my two passions (gastronomy and languages) cross paths. In my cookbook collection is an old French copy of Escoffier (amazing what gems you'll come across in an much over-looked Parisian bookstore; this one quite literally right outside the main gates of Versailles). I was bent around the axle translating recipes and comparing it to a popular English copy which is laden with mistakes. Best Regards, - CSR

Great example!!! I've seen this one wreak havoc first-hand. In the first few weeks of a friend's new restaurant (somewhere not in NJ), he had to comp a lot of soups because quite a few patrons kept complaining their order was wrong. He brought me in to consult and I quickly discovered he had two soups listed: Pasta Fazool and Pasta e Fagioli. When queried, he thought 'fagioli' meant 'mushrooms' in Italian (fungo is the right word, Bub! ), so he added seasonal mushrooms to the second soup's recipe (even truffles were used once; lucky for him, folks knew better than turn that version down) and placed it on the menu. Once the 'fazool' entry was deleted and the mushrooms removed from the recipe, all went well. Regarding Gruener Veltliner: it's pronouced 'Groon-nahr ffelt-LEANehr"; Accents/inflections are in bold. No qualms here with those who disagree since German has a multitude of dialects and regional inflection patterns (as do most languages); this is how it is said in Austria's Tyrolean Alps. Best regards to all, - CSR

Rampart Restaurant Link - not a very effective website, but it has some interior shots. Ramparts is just a quite little place nearby that I like. Some folks say it's "hit and miss" but I've found it to be pretty decent. It's not anywhere near the level of Firefly and Ray's, but for a Friday-night meal it will do. - CSR

Yeah, caught that.... showed up in my subscription list.

My local picks... - Firefly - Black Salt - Ray's the Steaks - Ramparts - Equinox - Cameron's - Teberna Cretekou - Fatoush - Mandalay - Old Glory --CSR

Chef Achatz and Mr. Kokonas... Happy New Year to you both. The aniticipation regarding Alinea's opening must be at a fever-pitch. I have a few questions... 1 - What's happening at Alinea right now in terms of printing menus, configuring dining spaces, hiring/training staff, etc.? What big hurdles are left? 2 - Would it be possible to post an interior and exterior photo? When should we look for a website update? 3 - In the Alinea, Grant Achatz's new restaurant thread, Chef you briefly discuss how your preparation methods "[are going]" to (and by now have) impact Alinea's kitchen design and organization. To quote a June 10th posting on that thread... Can you bring us up to date on the general organization of the kitchen brigade? As the big day approaches, best of luck to you and the Alinea team. Kind regards, - CSR

Oops... never have a problem when I shop at Dizengoff Center. No worries . "I agree that no. That name would not work in your area. " Cheers -CSR

I think I would have to change the name of this ice cream. It definitely wouldn't work where I come from. ← Sorry for the bad transliteration (I don't have my language font pack installed): A'ni meh'haskem she'loh! Ha'shem ha'zeh loh iy'aved b'sviva'tech.

Tryska, I've been playing with the recipe to accomodate several friends who are the same way. They like all the flavors and can see how they would compliment each other, but the normal "delivery method" is a big turn off. Hopefully there's a happy medium. Geez a Gunness float? Ya know, I need to try that but it means that I have to get over somebody mucking with my pint! Cheers - CSR

Tryska, I missed your reply in my first post on this thread. Here is the older Carbomb Ice-cream thread. I have to say that IMHO, swirls may not be the best way to go. It's been rather difficult to design and prepare an ice cream recipe that tastes fairly close to the original drink (even though we tend to not have the time to savor the drinks taste at the time of consumption ). The story: I've worked on several recipes for swirled Cambomb ice cream in the hopes of finding a recipe I can put on a restaurant menu. I went with a Guinness ice-cream with varying amouts of Bailey's and Jameson's swirled together or individually. None has proven to be a real stand-out and I am pretty comfortable with redesigning the item. The culprit: The whiskey flavor loses it's edge in the basic carmel recipe. Testers say they can't taste even a hint of whiskey. The alternative: I did find success using a different prep method. Using a combination of Guinness and Bailey's ice creams in a parfait style, each layer is separated by a whiskey-creme sauce layer. It looks good in a pint glass and all of the familiar flavors really standout. To up the ante on presentation marks, I did a half & half thing: Bailey's on the bottom, Guiness on the top with a little space at the top of a pint glass to add a "head" of whiskey-creme. It's gone over pretty well with folks who've tried it. Regards from DC, CSR

A local ice-cream shop does that... great stuff that. I worked out a variation using the Guinness ice-cream... the Irish Carbomb. Tastes like the real thing, but goes down a lot better! Who can pass up mixing Guinness, Bailey's and "a little" Irish Whiskey? Cheers! CSR

I'll go you one further and suggest that it is pronounced: ma-ra-SKI-no (with a "ra" rather than a "ri" on the second syllable). The more common term in an Italian bar would be latte macchiato, which means "stained milk" -- the idea being that the milk is "stained" by adding a tiny bit of coffee. There is also caffè macchiato, or "stained coffee" in which the coffee is "stained" with a tiny bit of milk. Somehow in American Starbucks-speak, "macchiato" has come to mean a large mostly milk drink with a little coffee and various syrups added, and "latte" has come to mean "a gigantic latte macchiato." Starbucks has also promulgated the misconception that macchiato means "marked" instead of "stained" (in fact, "marked" is probably best translated as segnato). this quote was edited to reduce content in my reply - CSR ← Sam.... I'll give ya the benefit of the doubt on your reply to my first post . Just kidding... the "ra" in syllable 2 is indeed a closer match. It can sometimes be difficult to transliterate certain sounds into English when you're fluent in more that two languages. As far as macchiato = stained; segnato = marked? Yes, that's absolutely correct. Best regards, - CSR BTW - Is it just me, or does anyone else get the feeling that our Italian cousins are beginning to curse Starbucks much like the French do Americans for having to put up with hearing "sket-bored" and "bleu jh-eens" in everyday speech?

GREAT TOPIC!!! I'll second Jim's vote on "bruschetta"! Of all the food-related words I can think of, this one word is always troublesome to hear in the US. Ask my 2nd Gen Italian-Americans to say this word, and they never cease to use the above example. Ask them to differentiate between "primi" and "secondi" piatti, and they give you a blank stare . It's quite humorous. Here's a phonetic "cousin" (my term; a word that follows the same pronunciation pattern)... Maraschino. Correctly pronounced, it is Mar-i-skino. On a lighter note: I travel to Greece a lot (Crete mostly) and one of my favorite Italian restaurants frequently mentions dishes "sprincled by Parmesan Sheezes" (some well-meaning Greeks who translate for a chef that refuses to speak in English; can't fault them ). Or, when describing saganaki, another well-known restaurant likes to cater to the English and German-speaking tourists by depicting the dish as "pan-fried kaase". Is Brit-speak OT? It is not necessarily a mangling of words but the uninitiated American abroad might have a laugh or be caught off-guard when they hear: Fillet -- Fil-A in the US v Fill-it in the UK Silverside -- The USDA equivalent is "Boneless Rump"

Och, I didn't think about the new location. Yes, it's better suited for the London visitor. Use this link The London Tube Guru to find your way around and plan stops. It's an interactive site that allows you to pick the tube station of interest and see what is in the local area. In the E1 district (the East End), there is very little to see as it's primarily industrial. But there are couple of sites you might be interested in. Not far from Spitalfields Market (a fantastic venue known for its takeaway eateries), is the Whitechapel Art Gallery (nearest the Aldegate tube station) which is famous for it's modern art. It's a brilliant little gem. And, you are only a block or two north of the Tower of London. Hope that helps. Best Regards, - CSR

IKEA sells those measured pourers. I think you can purchase them online if one is not in your area. - CSR

While in London, try these two... The Texas Embassy (near Trafalgar) and St. John's (near the Farringdon tube station). The latter is the restaurant operated by renowned chef Fergus Henderson, author of the Nose to Tail Eating cookbook. Prices at both are reasonable (about 15 quid per plate for mains) and the food is anything but boring. Unlike here in the US, some of the best restaurants are often found in UK hotels - as you may have noticed by reading this thread - so if you see one that strikes your fancy, don't be afraid to have a go. Best Regards - CSR

Chicken shwarma (some would call this a kabab) is a neat little eat from the Middle East that most people would enjoy. It's simple and portable which makes it highly enjoyable. Roll up (like a taco) into one warm pita bread the following: Grilled Chicken strips marinated in lemon, garlic and onion (slightly-charred is always good) Potatoes (usually pomme frites) Pickle A dash of cumin A dash of paprika A dash of nutmeg A twist of lemon Some chopped mint (in the summer) Depending on where you go, the locals will add a little garlic yogurt (akin to greek tzatziki). Some also add a little crushed pistachio which adds a nice flavor. You can also substitute either shish and/or donner (each is a different type preparation of lamb). Other things to try... T'hinni (sesame paste) T'boulli (bulgar wheat and parsley with lemon juice) Hummus (as everyone knows; chick peas) Kefta (minced lamb made up like a hamburger with mint, oregano and cumin). Fattoush (akin to the traditional greek salad of tomato, cucumber, onion). And of course, Baklawa. - CSR

Francesco... I think that you've explained Italian dining fairly well. I took particular note of some what you've written as shown in my quote, and I'd like to reply with a few comments. Respectfully, I would argue that when I am in Italy, I don't think about picturesque and stereotypical... at least in the visual sense. I follow my nose . I spent some years working in the UK and France and I was privileged enough to visit Italy frequently during my time (great skiing!!!). It just so happened that I chose trattorie for one reason or another (time?, convenience?, wanting to find a place that didn't remind me of work?)... I'm not sure that indicates a preference, but as a rule I love dining in a local trattoria and being impressed by the elegant simplicity of the meal. It reminds me to never stop paying attention to the ingredients, and I am better in the kitchen for it. After all, that's why I'm travelling in the first place. To take some time to slip the clogs off, collect my thoughts, and come back to work ready to go. Yet, one needs to be aware that rules always have exceptions and I know of at least two… Ristorante Ambrasciata (Quistello) is THE place for guinea hen... bar none. And most recently, a colleague arranged for me to visit La Locanda Ai Cavalieri (Petrignano di Assisi) and meet some of the kitchen staff. During dinner I enjoyed the chef's seared tuna. Beautiful. It's very difficult to compare trattorie v ristoranti and find a true winner. For me it's all about the food. Sometime you find that the best is right next door. Sometimes, you make special arrangements months in advance. Either way, native Italian food rarely disappoints. Best Regards! CSR PS -- This is the first time on eG where I've been quoted... Thanks for taking a few minutes to write a great reply! .

While it's true that the distinction betweem ristoranti and trattorie is becoming more blurred over time... I will choose to eat at trattorie 95% of the time (save the odd meals where I want to enjoy Italian fine dining at it's best), largely because I like the local dining experience. Nothing is better than finding a small local eatery where the pasta sauce - though it has only the smallest list of ingredients - comes across as fiercely complex. And I've never eaten a secondi that I didn't enjoy. Regards, CSR

Cheers for the info... CSR

Hi Knicke, Try using onions as a container... for Turkey-day, I'll be using them to serve stuffing, but just about any filling that won't give off a lot of liquid will do. The prep is easy... For any number of medium-sized onions (any variety that will match the filliing) Equipment: 1 paring knife 1 teaspoon 1 pot of boiling salted water Oven Plate lined with paper towels. Method: 1. Wash and peel off skin 2. Cut a small bit off the bottomso to allow the onion to stand upright (don't cut too much) 3. Cut the top off and reserve for another use. 4. Starting with a small knife at the center, begin cutting away the onion flesh to open up a cavity. Reserve unused onion. 5. Use a teaspoon to carefully carve out all but the outer layers of the onion (leave about 1/4" or so). Reserve onion centers for other use. 6. Place in boiling water for 5 minutes. 7. Remove to plate and let cool. The onions are ready to be filled and baked (350 to 400 deg is what I use routinely). Great topic! I'm sure more will write in with their alternatives. Regards from DC, - CSR

Very cool and very useful. Thanks for the tip J Best Regards, CSR

Thanks for the learned advice Rob.... I'll have a go drinking one of my Merlots chilled to ~65 deg. Regards from DC! CSR