FabulousFoodBabe

Okay -- some of the examples were total ripoffs. I'm sure most of us can think of a dozen more. However -- using the music and art examples, at what point would a chef lose his/her "copyright"? A song is written, played with, produced in a studio, cut, and out there, the same thing for everyone. A sculpture isn't produced fifty to a hundred times a day. What's done is done! As has been said a dozen times before, food is fluid. What if a chef decides that the fennel is too fragrant NOT to use to scent a sauce? The food isn't the same every single day unless it's produced by a machine. And while you might claim DumbAss, FG, I've been using thong in a twist for a while now. Hands off!

You remind me a little of that guy on "HOme Improvement." More appliances! Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! What are on your countertops now, Angela? (I remember looking for the perfect piece of granite in my other kitchen, and living with plywood tops for weeks. It looked weird but it wasn't difficult!)

I'm getting a dual-fuel. We have a propane tank (no gas line to this part of our town), and I don't like gas ovens, anyway. It's personal. I've said before that there will be a major party when the kitchen opens for business! You're all invited ...

That's my dream -- an outdoor kitchen. In this nice Metro New York weather, though, it aint' gonna happen. The shower is a very good idea. Puppy is still being bathed in a tub, big dog needs to stand (it takes forever for her to get up and down). Oh, I miss California.

Gee, and this wasn't a problem until now? So, who's going to sue whom first and get this thing rolling? What do real chefs say about this, and who is the first person Jean-Georges is going to sue for the molten chocolate cake? Or, what that THomas Keller who first did it ... or the home economists at Hershey? Oh, please. just say "dumbass" and get it over with.

I pack some Mr. & Mrs. T's Bloody Mary Mix, a little vodka, and some extra celery. It's a little tradition my husband and I have from our honeymoon flight, where we were bumped into first class both ways.

If one is with co-workers, I'd think so! But if one is at a business-snagging dinner, or otherwise ... So, I misunderstood.

Everyone who makes a tongue dish usually peels it ... which takes care of those pesky papillae ... ← Tell that to my wild imagination!

Maybe some sports celebrities ... How about that LPGA tour lady who just posed half-naked on the golf greens? She could bring more attention to her sport by cooking in fishnets. Or those olympic sand-volleyball girls: Bitsy and Mitsy? The Flying Tomato, of course. Separately, I wonder why someone hasn't done a food version of "What Not To Wear."

Do you have a 60"? what kind? (don't tell me, I just signed a "proceed" contract!) Never mind, do tell. I'll probably do four burners, grill and french top. Wish I had a salamander ... and I won't give up my charcoal Weber. Reminds me of being newlywed and broke. I'm pretty cranked about this project. At long last. I really wanted a little cleanup room with floor sinks for dog-washing, but that's not gonna happen. Sigh.

No way! Where? Did it apply to the food you cooked, or the people you worked for? What were the terms, if about the food?

Agree. I generally don't leave the table when a course is in front of me, though I've had to, on occasion, call the server over and gesture to them that they should lean down to me. Then I say, quietly, "could you please bring me a salad that has no grit in it?" and it's taken care of, quickly. If the main course is inedible, I pick at it and that's that. When the plate is taken away, I tell them quietly that the fish was bad or whatever, or that I just didn't care for it. Usually, it removes itself from the tab. when I worked in advertising, the big thing to do was send wine back. I never did it, but was with people who did lots of times. If the stuff is corked or tastes like vinegar, that's one thing, but these people were truly ridiculous.

And what recourse would someone who is accusing others of "plagiarism" have? And how should it be prevented? I can't imagine any stage, line cook, or sous .. heck, anyone .. signing a no-compete or confidentiality contract. I can't imagine making (or paying anyone) enough to make it worth their while. One of the reasons people in the business work so hard for so little for so long, is to learn. And to be told that you can't take what you've learned elsewhere, and then be publicly criticized for it? You know what's been ripped off! I don't understand what the trouble is, if you feel like the restaurant in question should have to stand up and admit it? Imitation is the highest form of flattery, blah blah blah. I just can't get my thong in a twist over this.

Ah, the ferry. When we lived in North Jersey, another lifetime ago, it was my favorite way to get into the city. I wonder how much time this would eat up? And my friend is more of a princess than I am , so I am wondering in advance about our hairdo's. Yeah, I know, we can sit inside, but that kind of defeats the ferry purpose. This is a very cool suggestion -- it'll be on the list I email to her later in the week.

My youngest son won't eat peaches, plums, nectarines, or apricots, because they look "like butts." My food fears/phobias/aversions are pretty simple: I really don't like to eat tongue, because of all that papillae tasting back at me. -Fabby, who has a vivid imagination

As I've been blathering for a while, Casa FoodBabe is getting a new kitchen this year. Mr. FB and I are looking at some of the things that will be replaced, that we keep hanging on to through seven houses, technological advances, and plain old prettier stuff. We have a small Weber charcoal grill that we bought the week we moved into this house, in 2001. The same one, $75.99 with our Home Depot "welcome to Westchester" coupon. The new Wolf will have a grill, but we can't give this up! My husband loves his little Krups coffeemaker; the new kitchen will have a Miele coffee center. He's really kind of sad about not having that before-bed ritual, where he'll fill the pot, set the timer, and know it'll be there the next morning, waiting. And he's also kind of sad about giving up his toaster oven, even though the speed oven will do the same things for him. Anyone else have stuff like this, that they can't give up, even when they are able to? If we are weird, are we totally alone?

I'm doing it. It's a done deal. And it didn't make too much difference in the layout -- we got rid of a small pullout cabinet. Architects have already saved me a ton of money on fixtures and countertops, so that will be offset. Now I have to decide how to configure the top. I've always just used a huge all-clad burner top griddle, because I never had the space before. I'm getting pretty cranked for this thing to finally happen! And I thank you all for your helpful guidance.

Not to mention Mr. FB, who is quite a babe in his own right. The view at the bar of the Four Seasons is usually very very good. Last time was a rootin' tootin' cowboy being wooed by about a dozen businessmen and women. Maybe we'll start there, and wait for my spouse to come down from his aerie.

True, Sneakeater! I should have asked, "view of what?"

Maybe that's why Lorelei eats so much: she was raised on that type of food! I would have loved to see signs that Richard and Emily were 'on' to Lorelei's little tapas party. Pontormo, too funny that Paris Geller is on Wikipedia! I didn't read the entry, but I wonder if it says anything about Paris' being raised on feijoiada (sp) and whatever else her nanny cooked for her. (REmember when she stayed over at Rory's one night and called Nanny to tell her not to hold dinner -- she spoke to her in Spanish, except for "mac and cheese.")

Isn't he back to Diddy, now? Cooking is a trend. How quaint! And I read something scary: Sandra Lee is dating a Cuomo. One who is running for governor or attorney general or senator or something. Sorry that Gabrielle Reese's career as a professional golfer didn't pan out.

About Tuesday's episode: Did anyone else so not believe that Richard and Emily didn't get the macaroni and cheese? And, isn't this a different 'Cesare" than before? Or is he like Carlton Your Doorman -- never seen, but known?

Congratulations, Chad! I wish I had your book now -- I'm teaching some classes and am constantly asked how someone can learn better knife techniques. We dont have enough time to do more than the basics in class -- right now. I hope it's a huge success and will come to your book signings. (Are you going to carve a big 'x' with your favorite knife? Maybe a bloody thumbprint ...) Seriously: The only books I really know of are professional-type and kind of dry. I'm very much looking forward to this!

Makes me think of my favorite TV show from 'way back, "Frank's Place." Set in New Orleans; two chefs claimed the same bread pudding recipe, and fought about who owned it. Finally, they duked it out. In a boxing ring. It was great! BTW, children tend to have minds of their own; cookies pretty much do what we tell them to do. I don't believe in "culinary plagiarism." The industry is based on teaching, training, spreading the word. I do believe that credit should be given as a matter of professional courtesy and morals. If it's not, well, it's not. But if it's made a 'law' in some way or other, that benefits plenty of attorneys and kills the spirit of the business. Burger King used to base their expansion on McDonald's: saved them a bunch of money on site searches. That could be location plagiarism. And whoever tries to copy the Colonels' recipe is attempting to plagiarize. There's a good reason that, when people send "ideas" for products, ad campaigns or anything to a company, it's bounced back immediately. Too many people have the same ideas at the same time and getting them to the public can take a long time, or not. More coffee, please. I'm rambling.

Yes, yes! Mr. FB's office is in the same building as the Four Seasons; whenever I walk through the doors, I think of the girls. I miss them. (The door handles are perfect ... and I love 'quickie' lunches at the bar, too.) I wish we had more time! They're in town for just the weekend and a day (the "family function" is a performance at Carnegie Hall -- talk about overachievers! ), and Miss B. (the daughter) really wants a view. I wonder if she won't like the Times Square idea, along the way, with or without Aunt Fabbie as a guide. I'd immediately thought of Pegu Club; I feel like it should be on the list. Perhaps after dinner ...