Hopleaf

How did the IPA turn out?

Cool. Any idea on the reason for such a tax? To curb alcoholism, perhaps?

he, he, he. LOL. THat's very good Johnathon. What I really get a kick out of is the stupid commercials for Bud. You know the ones with August Budweiser talking about the tradition, the freshness (freshness dating is the biggest falacy in beer advertising, btw). We have a pretty decent beer here in Chicago that some of you might have tried, Honker's Ale by Goose Island Brewery. Very flavorful, a little hoppy, crisp ale. If I wasn't at work right now I'd be having one. Also, New Glarus Brewery in Central Wisconsin has several good beers, including a Barleywine. Has anyone tried the new Guinness in a bottle? Supposed to be very good, but still nothing like the Guinness in Ireland...why is that? the water perhaps?

For me it really depends on the nature of the cold, the symptoms. If there's a...er...gastrointestinal element, I get obsessed with white foods: sticky white rice, tapioca pudding (ok, it's really a taupe, but it's bland), plain yogurt with some honey, saltines or oyster crackers, etc. If it's mostly sinus congestion or a sore throat, I find that spicy foods really work well to clear things up and numb the soreness. And there's always ginger ale for upset stomachs. Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup is a consistent over performer when I'm sick and I found I really like their new variety (I forget the name but it comes in a clear jar, sort of like a pasta jar). I always kick up the supplements a little too. Hit the echinacea and vitamin C pretty hard.

Editing cookbooks, I never know what I'm gonna run into and have to look up. So, I suppose general interest ones are best. If I happen to be working on a book that focuses on a specific type of cuisine, for example we're doing an Italian cookbook with historical text on food and culture, I might venture out into something more specific. But for the most part general reference book seem to help me the most. I think I remember someone saying that the Larousse is woefully translated, which I couldn't agree with more. It's terrible. But the info in it is fantastic.

A caped Chef, Shiva, Thanks. I'm gonna try to review these at the library before picking them up. How do the Oxford and Cambridge companions stack up against one another? Similar enough that one might do? (I'm a yank talking so go easy on me)

I've come to rely on quite a growing number of food reference volumes and was wondering if anyone had any favorites they'd like to share. Some of mine include: Laurousse Gastronomique Barron's Food Lovers Companion Webster's New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts Recipe's into Type There are several beyond these that I'd like to get my hands on, but would like to hear some others from eGulleters first.

Steve Klc, I'm having trouble with my PM (actually having a lot of trouble with the new software). So, I hope you see this post. I don't have any cookbooks, mostly just recipes from both my grandparents. That's why I had asked others to recommend sources of additional recipes. I've since checked the link to Legendary Cuisine of Persia that Adam Balic recommended and am trying to get it through my local library before purchasing it. Also, muonim's post about Ms. Batmanglij's book is worth looking into. The thing that really strikes me about Persian cuisine is that it (probably like most ethnic cuisines) reflects their country's history, i.e. having only a small supply of meat meant to feed many mouths and making that stretch, as well as finding alternate sources of protein in lentils, garbanzo beans, etc. It's a wonderfully aromatic array of foods, once you prepare some you'll realize just how much so. The smells will intoxicate. Sorry I couldn't recommend much more.

I think I'll have a red wine beer tonight by simply substituting red wine for beer. I'll be sure to toast the NYT for this cunning revelation in replacement therapy.

Does anyone know if you need to use any particular kind of salt to successfully make lox? Are the more coarsely ground salts better or are the finer ones? Also, can you make lox from any kind of salmon? I can get fresh salmon here which is usually shipped the day it's caught in the Atlantic and sent to Chicago...it's usually available to me the next day.

Does Food Arts have a Web site? Couldn't find anything on a Yahoo Search.

Aside from the typical biting of the tongue, I once had a crumb from a melba toast jump into my eye as I bit down. The crumb somehow managed to lode itself between my lower lid and the scant white part under my pupil and I couldn't, try as I might, get it out without it scraping something. It was one of the most excrutiating experiences I've ever had. It seemed to take forever for the crumb to moisten enough from my tears to work itself out.

I suppose "Gourmet Cooking for People with No Prior Knowledge of Gourmet Cooking in an Easy-to-Understand Format" wouldn't be a big seller. I know it's a joke...I just don't want to admit that I'm a dummy by buying it. hell, I don't want to admit that I'm a dummy at all. I've actually been given several titles in the series, as well as in the "Idiots Guide to..." series, but they've all ended up in the ReSell pile. Word to the wise, books with Dummy and Idiot in the title don't offer very good resale value. I don't mind the other, similar, series called "Everything You Need to Know About..." which I find that much more pallatable to my ego.

Personally, I have a problem with books that suggest I'm a 'dummy.' I already run into enough experiences that suggest that, I don't need to add anything to the foray.

Steve P brings up an intriguing thought...is this HIS thread because he started it or is it OUR thread that he happened to start. I'm not sure what happened between you and Suvir, nor do I want any details. But if the prevailing ethos at eGullet is that of inclusion regardless of personal differences, you cannot expect someone to avoid posting to your threads. Asking such is not only doing a great diservice to the rest of us who might enjoy the thread that you begat and would actually be interested in what Suvir has to say as well, but it is also an unimaginably conceited thing to suggest. This site has repeatedly been characterized as a haven for free speech...what you're requesting is censorship and I find it loathsome enough to consider not particpating anymore. You seem to object to something Suvir has every right to say (whether you agree with it or not), yet continuing this sordid diatribe in the midsts of a great thread such as this and expecting Suvir to self-censor is ridiculous behavior. If any apologies are in order, Steve P you owe the rest of us one. As for cookbooks, I have an Yve Thuries book (The Classic and Contempory Recipes of...) that I have found to be a fantastic source of impressive recipes. Highly recommend. Also, perhaps it's trite considering the band wagon element, but Nigella Lawson's How to Eat is a very good book for everyday cooking (her intro and chapter openers are great reading). Escoffier's La Repertoire de la Cuisine is great reading for culinary fundamentals, but it's often difficult to find specific recipes...still, it's a great addition to any collection. And as for bread recipes, Crust and Crumb: Master Formulas for Serious Bakers by Peter Reinhart is indispensible.

Thanks stellabella. You know, one thing that us, as you so aptly put it, children can hang our hat on is a more heightened sense of taste. I remember my first sip of Coca Cola when I was 12 (!!), it was one of the sweetest tasting things I've ever ingested. Another big no-no was sacchrine-sweetened anything (cuz it causes cancer in laboratory rats, of course); the first taste of TAB was interesting, especially in comparison to that first sip of Coke. You're right on, stella. We're better off now because we ate a more...um, natural (for lack of a better word) diet. It was difficult to see that when I was in third grade and I had the strangest looking lunch: pork sliced from last night's roast (nice and garlicy) with mozzarella on caraway rye with a mound of romaine and tomatoes, plus a plain yogurt (which I still eat every morning to this day) and a fruit juice. A far cry from my neighbors bologna sandwich on gummy white bread with American cheese (I've since found the joy in American cheese, especially with grilled cheese 'wiches), and yellow mustard with a side of Jays potato chips and a Coke. To what degree do you think that this experience has been the root of your culinary appreciations. You say that you and your sisters have a hearty appetite for good food, but is that because your tastebuds weren't killed by Fruit Loops and Chef Boyardie? I think it's very telling that your sweet tooth is more turned on by a well-made dessert. Maybe that's it in a nutshell, a solid foundation of healthy eating has given us discerning tastes.

Oops, Jess asked me the same thing. I'm in Chicago and my balcony faces South Southeast, so we get a lot of morning and mid-day sun but start to lose direct sunlight around 3:30 or 4. Any recommendations of good varieties for my climate with the amount of sun I get, Jaymes (or anyone else)?

Thanks so much jess! Really quite informative; I'm cuttin' and pasting for my kitchen journal. Plus you also turned me on to some good technical terms: hierlooming, red plastic coca cola crate . I'm gonna give it a whirl. Not sure how Boggy Creek does it, but my long term plan is to roast all my veggies for my red sauce. What I planned, and I think I'll give it a 'dry run' with store-bought produce, was to simply drizzle plain olive oil (the extra virgin has a lower smoke point) and coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper over tomatoes, garlic, onion and carrots, cook 'til their done at 350° F. Then peal the garlic and blitz in the Cuisinart with the onions and carrots. Lightly fork smash the tomatoes and add blitzed veggies. Voila, the base of my red sauce with a wonderful roasted flavor. If I could grill (it's prohibited by my condo board, believe it or not, and I can't do the grill pan thing) I might try grilling all the veggies, but I'm not sure how the tomatoes would hold up. Thanks again for you input.

I'm hoping someone here has a green thumb and can advise me as to the feasability of my plan to grow tomatoes in a potted plant on my very small balcony. I wonder, first off, if two or three plants will yield enough tomatoes to make red sauce from scratch and have enough to freeze for the winter? I'm not the most experienced gardener (have done some landscaping, but that's out of the question on the balcony) and would also appreciate some pointers on caring for the tomato plants: e.g. what to clip, when and why?, how to tell if the tomatoes are ready for plukkin', and finally how to go about taking the seeds and preparing them for seeding next year. Any and all input is welcomed

Omigawd!!!! I feel the need to personally apologize for the PR bombardment you must experience on a daily basis. It's ridiculous what goes on. One of the reasons I'm no longer working in that lecherous environment was the pressure younger associates are put under to produce 'hits.' Basically your job depends upon successfully convincing reporters like yourself, who typically know better than to waste their time, to give free exposure to your client's products, brands, etc. I had my fair share of such 'success' but really hated every minute of it. It's one of the most evil professions out there, considering how much it can influence public opinion (both truthfully and manipulatively), further increase corporate executive's personal and business profits, and manage corporate failure through 'crisis communication.' Someone should really blow the lid off this field of marketing. Just about all the things you listed as part of the 10 PR voice messages I've had to leave those messages (much to my personal chagrin at the time). Towards the end, I just told my bosses that I'd left messages asking 'if you've received the press kit I sent?' whereas I didn't cus I was so jaded about the effectiveness, morality and interpersonal kharma I was involved in. If I can make one suggestion to make your lives better...I'm not sure how you respond to media directory companies, but if you're ever asked for contact details from Bacon's, Burrells or whatever, you should tell them to include in your information that PR companies are to absolutely not contact you under any circumstances or mail you anything (or whatever limitations you want to set). Perhaps you already do this, but as one of the few concerned PR cogs, I would read those contact notes religiously as they were the only thing that gave me a hint of how to go about (if at all) contacting a writer. Also, you might want to pitch your boss to give you and all the editors and writers at the Post caller ID on your telephones, and then maybe even Privacy manager. Two things like that might cost some money, but in the long run the paper would save on all the money they spend on asprin. I have to say that as a rule, I tried to build relationships with media people...help them fill stories out with input from my clients. This was easier with the associations (who typically wanted to provide consumer information) I represented rather than the food companies (who only wanted exposure for their products).

I agree about best-seller lists. In general, even for fiction those lists are a waste of time, but especially so for cookbooks. Maybe because I'm more particular than the average cookbook consumer, but I figure what do I care if a book is selling like hotcakes? Not at all, as it turns out. I couldn't find an example of what you were talking about with the cookbook report cards, but at least have a sense of what you're describing (maybe you could post a URL of an example?). The lists without reviews might be a useful quick reference, if, say, you're running to the bookstore for a last minute gift. But people that read reviews, be it cookbooks, restaurants, movies, music, are more inclined to read the articles for the breakdown of the thing reviewed. When I read a book review it reminds me of some of the discussions I was a part of as an English major in college. I enjoy hearing the good AND the bad about something I'm interested in buying, eating at, or whatever. At any rate, you could make a great case to include food writing reviews on a regular basis...something that would include food anthologies (which are such good reading, people need to know!!!), cookbooks, even magazine reviews (though as a daily newspaper, you might be prone to steer clear of reviewing such a close brethren as a monthly), even online food portals (eGullet perhaps ). What do you think, Jeanne?

The more different types of foods my one year old eats, the more I notice how simple foods really get us all started on an appreciation of food. Having just recently gotten ahold of Nigella Lawson's How to Eat and reading her chapter on feeding kids, I've paid closer attention to the approach my little one has to food, rather than just trying to make sure she gets a bellyfull. Size, color and shape play such an important role early on in deciding what to eat and what not to. Green peas are a big favorite, but cut grean beans are not. Broccoli florrets are well liked, but cut up broccoli stalks may as well be saved for soup. PB&J is ok if there's a good ratio of J to PB, if there's too much of either then dad's eating it. Now I'm trying to remember if I was particular about foods in a similar manner. Of course I can't remember too far back, but I have a sense that I did want to try everything, an approach my daughter seems to take as well with just about anything that finds its way into her hands..eventually it ends up in her mouth. But I've always been curious about how things taste...like at a birthday party for a neighborhood friend when I was about 9 or 10 everyone was saying how disgusting anchovies were (we went to Chuckie Cheese I think) and I asked if I could try it. Similarly I asked my wife about this and she said that she ate her first raw oyster in a similar situation, at a b-day party and someone dared her to eat it. It's funny to think about all that now and know that a) I like anchovies on my pizza and b) she loves raw oysters. My parents never let us get any sugary cereals and when I first moved out in college, I went nuts in the cereal aisle. What I found though was that I preferred my trusty Shredded Wheat to Cocoa Puffs and Lucky Charms. With the sugary cereals I was always falling asleep in my first class (of course that could've been due to the late night at the bar down the street...nah) but with the Shredded Wheat I felt good energy throughout the day. So, I guess it comes down to having a sound base of simple foods and an appreciation of those foods tastes have prepared me to be more adventurous than the average person.

Not sure if you're looking for just Belgian recommendations, but I really like a stout that Minnesota brewery Summit puts out. It's not as thick as Guinness, but has a wonderful carmel, coffee flavor to it. There's also a Wisconsin brewery called New Glarus that makes some excellent brews; a very close immitation Belgian red ale, a drinkable, hoppy ale, a Raspberry tart ale. Not sure about Summit, but New Glarus is on the web: New Glarus Brewery

Hey edemuth, if you like cherry lambics but wish they were a little less sweet, you might try any of the Rodenbach beers. They're not lambics, but get a uniquely sour, slightly sweet aftertaste, from the red oak casks the ale matures in. They're really wonderful ales.

Jeanne, To what degree do you rely upon, are influenced by and are annoyed by public relations efforts of food manufacturers, distributors, marketers, etc.? Having previously worked in PR, we used to say that on an average about 75% of media content is provided by public relations working on behalf of and for the interests of clients. Would you say your food section relys upon PR or is influenced by it quite that much? Thanks, Hopleaf