FabulousFoodBabe

I love this thread. I'm such a technological dork* that I can't figure out how to upload the damned thing from flickr to eG. Sigh. I'd love to have the PETA one for my secondborn, who wants to make a Zazzle t-shirt with that slogan on it. (*) yeah, I'm a dork in other ways too.

Why? Rhetorically, natch. I have skillets. I have gas cooktops. I have had more electrical outages here in Mayberry than I can count. I'm amazed at how many people don't use their mandolines! I admit that my benriner gets more of a workout than the Bron, but still. Anyone who would like to fork over their springform pans? One can never have enough ... I have ten. (I also really like my Galloping Gourmet Bash 'n' Chop. It's great for scraping meat boogers off the chopping block!)

Everyone I know gives me kitchen gadgets and equipment -- and most of them, stuff that I've said I will never use. "If you knew how great this thing was, you'd use it every day." "Air-cushioned" cookie sheets and jelly-roll pans. Things that slice eggs, mushrooms, avocadoes. Steel chicken trussers Double-boiler Electric skillet Garlic presses, peelers and mashers Cookie presses Rolling herb choppers Stand-up onion choppers. Rolling pins with handles (marble, wood) Pyrex. Pyrex. Pyrex. Etc. Sigh.

I'm not sure what you're asking. Not rich enough? That can't be determined just by looking at someone. And I'm not sure that your feeling looked down upon is the restaurant's issue. When you walked into Le Bernardin in jeans and sneakers, did you not know what the restaurant was all about? Why do you, as a professional, think that they should not have a dress code? (Loved the Sopranos episode where Tony asked a guy to remove his baseball cap inside a restaurant and when the guy refused, pulled a gun on him. I know the feeling!)

I understand that. To me, "tart" and "acidic" is much more precise than "mouth watering."

Two of us had the Grand menu; one had the vegetable. Our waiter, Chris, told us that if there was something we really wanted to have, we could substitute a course. I asked if they'd do a side-by-side tasting for each of us. He thought a second and said, "oh, kind of like a yin/yang thing, on one plate? Hmm. Not gonna happen!"

Thanks for the clarification, Joe. Is this a requirement for all the cooks at Alinea?

Word. And tasty, delicious, yummy. And to say "the flan d'leau disappointed, but the souffle leeks 'n' leeches thrilled," drives me nuts. Worst of all might be "mouth-watering." As secondborn told me one day, "my mouth only waters when I'm getting ready to hurl." Think about it.

What I loved best about this meal was how much fun it was. What I loved second best was to experience firsthand that food prepared this way did, in fact, taste "like food!" The three of us decided that we didn't like one course very much, and it was completely because none of us really like curry. Everything else was one "favorite" after another. It was such a different experience than some of the other great meals I've had: nothing compares to stepping out of the French Laundry into a starry Napa night. The service at Per Se was as flawless as the food. But at Alinea, the staff made the food fun -- even though we had to threaten to spank one of them . Maybe someone can tell me if my fuzzy recollection is true: that most, if not all, of the waitstaff are waiting for an open slot in the kitchen, so they can be cooks? How cool is that?

Can you elaborate, please? Do you mean fancy? Or fanciful? I'm really curious because on my one visit to CT a couple of years ago, I found the plating and presentation very simple - almost minimalist. ← UE, the last time I went to CT was in the early- mid 90s (I was on business and a client paid, woo hoo!). I remember those presentations as being very spare. But this time, there was a lot of dotting and sweeping of the sauces. Compared to what I recall from the early days, it was a very different look. The flavors on the plate have evolved from, for example, a deconstructed horseradish potato salad to 'Oregon porcini mushrooms with Russian fingerlings and black mission fig sauce.' And from what I recall in the early years, I found the service to be good but almost intrusive; I felt the experience was more about the food than us, being out on the town and enjoying ourselves. I've no doubt that feeling is because it was such a new thing, at least to me, to be interrupted every 15-20 minutes with a new dish, and to have it described. Anyway. A very wonderful evening. I almost photographed the meal but the rich uncle across the room was photographing his favorite niece and their flash kept getting in the way.

Dined at Charlie Trotter's on Friday night with a couple of friends who really, really wanted to go there. If we hadn't had such a terrific time at Alinea, might be our top dining experience for a while. I'd last been to CTs a year or so after it opened, and remembered it to be good food, interesting, pretty, but more of a reverential, "please recognize that you are here to celebrate this food" experience. Not such a bad thing, I suppose, and I remember most of what we had back then as being very good. And foie gras was a big part of that menu -- so much on my plate that I couldn't finish it all. This food was finer, and more 'fancily' (is that a word?) presented than I recall. Standout courses were the stinging nettle risotto with bluefoot mushrooms (such a bright green), halibut with crab and sturgeon roe, and canteloupe with lavender-cured bacon. The wine pairings included an Austrian (yes, Austrian!) red that makes me want to get my hands on a case of it for here. Our waiters were terrific, too. When we asked Chris for his email address so we could put him in our daily affirmation loop, and then laughed ourselves sick about it for a half hour, he didn't even miss a beat.

Okay. I went to Alinea on Saturday night with my friends, feeling a little like a foodie. I'm not sold on this type of food, I wondered from the many reviews of it was going to be like visiting a museum or art show. What a terrific evening. Since the food has been talked about so much, and I'm still recovering from the weekend ( ), here are a few thoughts. -It was such a lot of fun! The atmosphere was not heavy or formal. Very happy and soothing place to be. -Best. Waiters. EVER. Cute as speckled pups, they are! And funny, and smart, and attentive; professional with great senses of humor. We were a little, well, rowdy during our 5 1/2 hour dinner*, and did achieve our goal of making a few of them blush. (One day, I'll tell you the napkin trick one did for us ... and the "drumstick" course. ) -Cap'n Brad (our captain, Bradley) was terrific as well, and the adorable young lady who greets guests as they step through the sliding doors. And that sommelier ... -The food was gorgeous. When the bacon and apple was presented, suspended on on its tiny steel contraption, I immediately said, "Garters!" I wish I'd have taken a photo. They do look like tiny garter belts on a clothesline. -The food was really good. Really. I can't pick a favorite course; hot potato/cold potato might be a top five. Peanut butter and jelly fish (our name for it!) is up there, too. It was course after course of "who'd have ever thought this would taste so right together, and look so glorious?" -And the wine pairings ... sigh. One red was so deep and peppery that it seemed designed to go with the strawberries. In all, I think this was the most fun I've had at a restaurant in recent memory. (*) The time flew by, and we were so sad when the night was over.

Foodie = Food Groupie.

I think you're right. The MSG thing always makes me laugh. And, to the original intent of the thread, I do think people believe they have more allergies and sensitivities; definitely more than 20 years ago when I started cooking professionally. I think it's indicative of our 'national eating disorder (as Mr. Pollan put it so well), coupled with OTC and prescription drug marketing, and way too much information from TV nutritionists. Soybean, dairy, soybeans, corn, are in both in formula and in nursing mothers' diets. I've read theories that the genetic engineering of such foods (and peanuts) is to blame for the allergic reactions that seem to be on the increase for children who are fed both ways. I don't sniff at others' allergies, real or perceived. I do get the impression that it's a way to feel special and make people do your bidding.

Kris, what a cool blog! The UDF brings back some memories, I tell ya. When we lived in Columbus, we took our kids to Sea World something like three times a year, and used to visit other friends up there about twice a year. The redevelopment on the lake was amazing -- it's a truly beautiful place. Your kids are beautiful, too.

Ann, I don't know what's more beautiful: the scenery or your food! Thank you for taking me to an area I've never seen firsthand. Glorious blog.

If you buy whole carrots and turn them yourself, you'll save enough to buy a free range bird.

I love this! And yes, I do get more excited about farmers' markets than the local Manolo shop. You can get Manolo anywhere and it's just as glorious (and painful), but nothing is quite as good as a peach straight from a tree in South Carolina, or Maine Blueberries in Maine. So I guess I'm guilty of the travel thing. I don't think I'm guilty of general food snobbery, though. It's more a snobbery toward unenlightened people who buy non-fat sour cream and low-fat cheese, bags of "baby carrots," ICan'tBelieveIt'sNotButter, factory-farmed chickens, etc. It's a snobbery, I guess, toward people who consume without thinking. As for me, I have all that oil and rendered fat, all those vinegars, salts, peppers, etc., because one size does NOT fit all. Yep, Mr. Hayward nailed it on the term "resto," which causes me to retcho. I thought of about ten people immediately who this piece describes.

Ann_T, today I'm jealous that you have that butcher shop within reach. How wonderful! Now I have to go figure out the exchange rate so I can see what the prices are in $US. Are there many places like that where you live? Mmmmmm, corn and butter. No salt?

It's getting to the point where I get pissed off when there's NO Starbucks on the corner! And I go there maybe once a month, because they do burn their beans. (And I think they know it but geez, at this point, if they stopped charring them there'd be a worldwide revolt.) The piece made me smile, I have to say. Maybe an American chef, food writer, or someone like that broke his heart? Maybe J&W turned him down for admission? Look: if we tried to do things exactly as the Italians do, someone would be posting that we are wannabes. I'm sure I'm full of more to say on this topic, but I've only got one cup of coffee in me now.

Ann, I'm so excited for your blog! My firstborn arrived in Vancouver last Friday and will spend a month there camping and kayaking up and down the island, and researching marine mammals with some biologists. Not only will I get to see your life and life in Vancouver, but I'll get to feel a little connection to the kiddo. My gosh, that's lovely garlic!

I agree, I really love Nepenthe. And you're right Abra, it probably has little to do with the food, but those meals still hold a fond spot in my memory, because of the overall experience. ← Oh, man. I love Nepenthe. It was our favorite breakfast spot; we tried to do the drive every few months when we lived in Ca. I can remember my first Sourdough French Toast there, and the old hippie who served it (no doubt he was as old as I am today .. but probably had more fun getting there! ) This is a great blog! Yanno, the first time we drove that stretch of highway, we started to understand the "no nukes" people, and the rabid anti-development people, and the tree-huggers (not the nailers, the huggers). And the food, she's pretty amazing too.

I learned the last time I redid a kitchen (different house, different city), that I could cook for everyone with an outdoor grill only. If I wanted to get fancy, I could add the tiny microwave and one burner. For utensils, a paring knife is nice but an 8-chef is really all that's necessary. And with some attention and adjustment, you can pretty much do anything in a stockpot or large saucepan. The first dinner party we gave in our current house had me pulling my hair out over the lack of storage, the barely-lit cooktop, the oven that baked only when it damn well pleased. Mr. FFB remarked that it was just horrible that the food came out so unpalatable that everyone felt it necessary to eat twice their weight and ask if I could come to their house and do the same thing for them.

This is weird: I generally don't click on headings that are recipe-related, but something drew me to this one ... Who's the designer? Of the blondies, of course. (Okay, okay, I give! The shoes! )

Most of my husband's fraternity brothers come from NJ and NY; many of them from the same general area. I always found that kind of interesting. And Varmint, I hear that there is a food-related reason for the Tarheels being called what they are. Didn't they follow road-paving trucks around in the old days and chew on the tar to whiten (or maybe lighten) their teeth? Bryan, any truth to this? <--my most innocent smile. We were going to go to CuisinArt in early July this year, but had to postpone. When you say "local crayfish," is that the same as "carribbean lobster"? Aerogarden: Do you have a link to this, is it sold online?