Suzanne F

Tommy is 100% right. Comments from customers should ALWAYS matter to management. Especially when things are amiss. A forthright statement to the manager is always good, at the time of the problem, if possible, or on your way out if not. Little sarcastic comments to the waiter do no good; either they are not even heard, or they just make the waiter want to be even worse. It doesn't matter if you were the first or the fifteenth customer to complain; a problem is a problem every time. And finally, you were there, right? Whether they expected you or not, YOU expected a certain level of service.

What the chef said. SO much faster.

Any kind of canned "vegetable" except corn. I ate them then, but I sure as hell won't now. Thank god I don't have to! Canned : vegetable :: 9/11 : WTC (yes, I hate them that much!)

Nina -- pretty please, where is it? Near what subway?

Maybe Jacques Pepin has a "how-to" in La Technique, or in the book that combines that one with La Methode. If so, you'll have the best demo in the world. Julia has a description with one picture in The Way to Cook, on page 134. And even though it doesn't contain the information you're asking for, I want to put in a plug for The New Cook by Mary Berry and Marlena Spieler (MS is a member here ) This is one of those books with tons of pictures that show you EXACTLY how things should look -- in color, too! I love that. And even someone who is not such a "new cook" can learn a lot from it.

Thanks for the heads-up! Now I won't have hysterics when I hear the booming (I live a couple of blocks away from SSSM -- equidistant from the WTC site).

What exactly do you mean by "start a chef's career?" Do you mean start from zero, working as a dishwasher or prep cook trying to move up? starting culinary school? starting as a line cook? or actually getting your first chef position?

Is that the brand name. Were can they be had? at www.bigass.com of course. lots of stuff to browse through there. Sending us to that link was evil, Tommy. A good spanking is in order. Oh, no. Spanking's too good for THAT. How about not being able to log off of www.barney.com?

Thank you, Simon, for posting that. It sounded so wonderful when you told us about it last week, but who was paying full attention?? Now we can try it. Yummmmmmmmmmmm.

Maggie:

Cast iron purists, avert your eyes. What follows is heresy I put my (very well seasoned inside and out) Lodge grill pan in the kitchen sink fill it with hot water and a little dish soap and let it soak overnight Then in the morning I give it a little rub with a plastic scrubber or a piece of steel wool re-soap, rinse, and dry it and rub on a little Crisco before I put it away. Works fine for me.

I love my 10" Round Lodge cast iron grill pan. Cost maybe $25, certainly no more.

Oop, sorry. Never had that, either.

I second the thank-you! I'm only used to using flanken to make soup. And for some reason we've never ordered bulgogi or any other Korean bbq. But it makes perfect sense -- I always wondered how they could grill those huge hunks of meat and bone.

Results of a totally pseudoscientific taste test: Miracle Whip: sweet-and-sour in equally (very) strong proportions; not much other discernible flavor. Hellman's Mayonesa con jugo de limón: more tart, almost no sweetness (compared to MW); no discernible lime flavor; unidentifiable unpleasantness -- oil?? Hellman's "Garlic Paradise": slightly sweeter than the one with lime juice; overpowering flavor of garlic powder, but without much flavor of GARLIC.

Ron -- I completely agree about the taste and texture. Question: when you substitute curly for flat, do you make any adjustments in quantity? And are there any dishes (besides maybe tabbouleh and American parsley salad) which you simply won't make if you can't use flat?

Neat! Welcome back.

Lovely post. Isn't it great to share your love and knowledge of food with someone else? That's what it's all about! Have a blast tonight!!!! If this is your first time in a restaurant kitchen during service, you will be astounded. Just remember, whatever they want you to do, ask that they show you once so that you can do it THEIR way. And work clean!!!! (But you know that already )

For those Anglosucrophiles in or around NYC: Devon & Blakely carries a variety of Cadbury's, the real thing. Only in cool weather, though. Back to the survey: Milky Way, but only the dark chocolate version. Is the mocha version still around?

Okay then. I take it back.

Ooops -- that's the one! Bad Wilfrid. (My objection to patagonian toothfish is that it is virtually indestructible; whether you cook it properly or not, it comes out the same.)

Isn't it a bit too soon to consider the dbBurger a "signature" dish? I think emulation is required before a dish can be so labelled.

Do you have a warming tray, or will everything be held at room temp and/or over ice? First thing that comes to mind is mini-gougères: cream puff dough with shredded cheese mixed in, dropped in little bits on a sheet and baked. Easy easy easy to make -- just remember to puncture them once they come out of the oven, so they don't stay all wet inside -- and they hold well. (Inspired by our lunch last week at Artisanal)

Election laws are the responsibility of the states, not the Federal govt. So we have 50 -- no, 52 including DC and PR -- differents sets. Anybody think there's any chance that there might be a push for Federal laws, or is that infringing too much on the power of the states?

Molto-molto-cultural, more "assembled" than "made:" Mexican Chicken Taquitos/Flautas (bought) White Rice cooked with Puerto Rican Adobo Seasoning Greek Tzatziki (homemade) Mexican Salsa Verde (homemade) Guacamole (homemade) Korean Radish Kimchee (bought by CathyL; thanks, it's yummy ) Mixed Green Salad with Herb Vinaigrette Red Hook ESB