rjwong

"For a good time in Chapel Hill, call Varmint. Varmint can turn a Dookie into a Tarheel and the Dookie will love it, hehehe ..." Back to your request, I would agree with carpetbagger. Walk up and down Franklin St., even over to Carrboro. Crook's Corner would be a great place for lunch. They're only open for dinner, but open for Sunday Brunch.

I was asking one Jewish friend about black & whites and he told me this about the frosting: First, you put the white frosting on the entire cake/cookie (Yes, the whole schmear!!). Let the white frosting harden. Then, the chocolate frosting goes on one-half of the cake/cookie. Is this so??

I did the best that I can. If I used any flash on the book, it would show up on the photos. FYI, the retail prices are $40.00 USD & $55.00 CDN. I bought it at Costco for $25.00 USD. Question for Dorie: In your "Brown sugar-pecan shortbread cookies" recipe (p. 127), you gave directions to: Why? For texture? I'd rather not disturb the look of the shortbread squares, if possible. Before I forget, Dorie. Congratulations!! I'm enjoying reading through this cookbook. I like the helpful tips and facts, particularly the info on using unsalted butter, even though salted butter is so common in the US. Thank you!!

Hey! Tupac's back! ... and I mean the eGer tupac17616, not the other one ... Keep going! We won't stop you. Who says you're boring? Table 8, that's on Melrose Ave., with chef Govind Armstrong, right? SLJ was that bad, ehh?? I might have to re-evaluate my taste buds on that place. What did you two order at Roscoe's? Scoe's #1? Herb's #3? Did you try any sorbets at Boule? Pasadena has a few good places tucked in there. Were you surprised? You do have photos et al.? It looks like you didn't make it to The French Laundry, ehh??

Hey, babe! How's it goin'? Oh, pardon me: And a gracious good morning to you too, my queen ... I would be interested in that "wild ride" you had in Modesto, CA ... hehehe ...

There are steps one can take to make the continuous length of time we've spent together even longer ... I think you two can take this show on the road. It can be called: Ling & Lo. Ling & Lo in Las Vegas. Ling & Lo in Los Angeles. Ling & Lo in Lyons. The possibilities are endless. What do you think?? I feel the same way when I met you two in person for lunch in LA. I hope another opportunity presents itself sometime soon. Lorna & Henry, once again, Doh jeh, doh jeh. Shieh-shieh. Thank you.

The Chinese banquet wasn't bad, you two ... I'm glad you included some vegetables to balance things out. Nice save, Mr. Iron Chef, I suppose ... Any leftovers? Steamed rice? jup? How about some photos of the war zone ... I mean, the kitchen, before & after clean-up?

Actually, the LA Times review for Guy Savoy was on August 23. Swicks added a link to the review. You may need to register for access. I suppose when one of us hoi polloi hits it big, we'll want to celebrate at the most expensive restaurant in Las Vegas. Now, there's two to choose from: Robuchon & Guy Savoy ...

Hmm...I'm not sure I understand your question. If you're asking whether my opinion of the food at these places is somehow influenced because Henry knows the chef or owner, the answer is no. If I don't like the food, or am rather lukewarm towards it, I'm not eager to go back. I don't think I'm really influenced if we get special treatment at certain restaurants where we're known. I still evaluate the food on my plate objectively. I think it's cool that Henry knows a bunch of chefs. I've also introduced him to some of the chefs I know in Vancouver, so it goes both ways. ← Thank you, Lorna. Your culinary objectivity is quite commendable. Haven't compromised or "sold out" yet, ehh?? I wonder how you would hold up with the "big names" over in ... NEW YORK, NEW YORK ... I think you would hold up quite well there and tell it like it is ... BTW, did I notice someone about to eat some ... vegetables ... in one of those luncheon photos?? ... doh jeh, doh jeh, shieh-shieh ...

I'm sorry, no. Measurements in cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, etc.. Temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit. Towards the back is A Dessert Maker's Glossary of Ingredients, Tools and Techniques.

Add one title: Baking: from my home to yours / by Dorie Greenspan

Baking: from my home to yours by Dorie Greenspan I just bought it at Costco today. It was the first cookbook Costco has had in a while worth looking at. I quickly read through the intro and concluded that this is a very accessible book. This is a cookbook for the home baker, written by a home baker who happens to be a professional, if that makes sense. Perhaps, this will get me to become a cookbook user and not just a cookbook collector only ...

Baking: from my home to yours by Dorie Greenspan I just bought it today at Costco.

Henry & Lorna, I'm looking forward to this Chinese banquet. Of course, you are going to include a green vegetable dish. You KNOW it's all about balance, ehh?? Do we really need to bring out the Chinese culinary comrades after you?? I notice a lot of spicy dishes on the list. Is Cantonese cuisine a bit subtle and/or bland for Henry? Lorna, as you were visiting Seattle and getting to know Henry, what were your thoughts when Henry took you to these various places and he knew the culinary staff? ... he knows the chef at Mistral, he knows Mario Batali's father ... What was going on in your culinary mind?

Lorna & Henry, You are so sneaky! I wouldn't be surprised if you two decided to switch menus: Henry cooks Lorna's menu, Lorna cooks Henry's. That would add to the drama, ehh?? IC#1: 7 (Henry) IC#2: 8 (Lorna) I'm definitely in the minority, but what else is new? Not being able to taste the dishes, I hesitate how successful the multi-component dishes of IC#1 are. Some say complex. I say a bit busy. And shouldn't the peach be the featured item? IC#1's dessert: Why mint ice cream, when you have all those peaches??!! If you look carefully at the less-than-perfect tartlet, I was wondering whether Henry made the tartlet, or Lorna did while in a hurry ... IC#2's soup looks wonderful. Simple, elegant, with the peach "foie gras" front and center. To me, that dish shows the peach in a leading role. Unfortunately, the sandwich concept doesn't work for me. What would be really nice is replace the roll with some peach (?) hush puppies to go with the pulled pork and the peach slaw. The dessert reminded me of the deconstructed mojito I had as one of the desserts at a Los Angeles restaurant that both Henry & Lorna are familiar with. Is that where you got that idea??

Ling & hhlodesign, When you take photos of your culinary creations, would you please include pictures of the ENTIRE presentation (food, plate et al.), as the diner would see it, not just the super close-ups only? With those close-up pictures (i.e., the red velvet cake), I don't get that sense of "space" when I don't see the entire cake and the plate that's used. BTW, Henry, I am rooting for you. I'm also rooting for Lorna as well ... Allez cuisine! cue Iron Chef music or "O Fortuna" from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana

Et Tu Arje? ← Okay, Mr. Lo, my fellow Bruin, to make things interesting for you: Peaches. For voting purposes, discard "Bacon." Choose "Peaches." I suppose you can at least make a peach pie with peach ice cream (homemade, of course. No Cool Whip!). And extra points for using green vegetables, whatever they are ...

As long as Tarheels don't get arrested for indigestion from eating dinner on the Duke Dook campus, it doesn't bother me. Bryan, you didn't make the cheese, did you?? How do you procure your food items?

Abra, puh-lease .... Anyone will be able to recognize a Ling dessert over a hhlodesign dessert 10,000 miles away. uhh ... so offense to you, Henry, but I doubt that Ling has taught you everything she knows about desserts ... Sorry to go back to the Iron Chef food item, but I'm changing my vote to: RICE! Yes, it's a very common food item. It's a food item where both Ling & hhlodesign don't necessarily have an advantage. Rice (yeah, let's include rice flour ...) will give them a wide range of culinary creativity, in terms of what other ingredients each will combine with the rice. Since we won't be able to taste their creations, what we see included in their presentation is vital. And extra points for using green vegetables ... Again, my final vote is: RICE!

This little piggie wants to know what's wrong with bacon? Oink! Abra, you're right. It's too tempting to go to Daniel's thread and get some bacon ideas. Mind you, the greatest challenge can come from universally-known ingredients like bacon or eggs or chicken ... What kind of vegetables are you going to serve? How about some pea sprouts with garlic? It's a nice change from spinach or Chinese broccoli. Henry & Lorna, do each of you get to put together a culinary team, real and/or virtual?? It's probably happening already ...

Congratulations, Lorna & Henry!! Thanks for clearing that up guys. You know, I have been lying awake at night, wondering how this all started.. You look really happy together. How wonderful that you share this love for food! Lorna is correct about Henry's hinting. By the time he was blogging, asking about how to find the right girl, Henry received the advice of "looking across the border, ... hint, hint ...". Remember that, Henry?? Careful, Henry. Lorna can smack you down with her high-heel shoes. You know that, don't you? As for the Iron Chef competition, both of you must prepare both savory and sweet dishes, ehh? Not just desserts or appetizers only? Here is my vote for the Monday Night Mayhem: Bacon. ... and some added suggestions: Foie gras ; Mochi ...

Gougeres ("cheese rolls") with butter served in a separate dish. Pardon my English. Just add butter to the gougere. Eat and repeat ... Remember to finish the rest of your dinner.

I had dinner at Hatfield's last night. I ordered a salad called Quinn's BLT. Organic mesculun, marinated & sliced heirloom tomato, two hefty slices of braised bacon, seasoned crouton sticks. Oh, baby!! This little piggy would die for this!! Quinn's North Carolinian upbringing is quite evident in this dish. For the main course, Pan roasted hangar steak and fresh horseradish dusted short ribs, spring onion confit and smoked potato puree. It tasted delicious. The meats were not dry at all. I had no problem cutting the steak or the short rib. The onion confit is a nice complement. The server suggested an Austrian Zweigelt "Claus", which paired quite well. As for dessert, carmelized vanilla custard on shortbread crust with berries and a sorbet (can't remember the flavor, sorry), joined by a pot of citrus chamomile tea. A very nice, light ending to my heavier beginnings. Next time will be the chocolate & peanut butter truffle cake (baked to order). I feel like I've stumbled upon this wonderfully well-kept secret, which I don't mind. Delicious food, professional & personable staff, a small, very relaxing place where you can have a real conversation.

Hmm, I feel fortunate that I ate at Robuchon back in April, when the prices were a "bargain." I'll probably go to Guy Savoy anyways. Mind you, reading the LA Times review caused me to pause a bit. Could it be that formal French restaurants are a dying breed? And the only place that can support these temples of haute cuisine is in Las Vegas? Just a thought ...

Not necessarily on both accounts. Just give a phone call to Providence with your questions. No. I'm certain Providence will more than accommodate your father's culinary needs. You can always try the tasting menu the next time. There will be a next time, right?? The dessert tasting menu is great! They tend to be savory at times. The avocado/banana puree component of one of the desserts tastes much better than the very first time I had it. Chef Adrian's "breakfast" dessert was outstanding. One time, I decided to drop by later in the evening (10 p.m.) just for the desserts. Again, there's always the next time. I haven't. Maybe. You'll have to call and ask.