Suzanne F

It sounds great for those of us who work at home, actually. I've seen a built-in Miele that I truly covet; ah, if we ever renovate the kitchen . . . But I agree, for occasional use, makes no sense. Unless they come with a built-in filter.

I am about to start working on the Americanization of an Australian cookbook, meant for the general home-cooking public. A good number of the recipes use Asian ingredients (fish sauce, different kinds of soy sauces, etc.). The publisher is concerned about the availability of ingredients throughout the U.S. I offered to round up mail-order and website sources -- so, of course, who else would I ask but eGulleteers? Where do you like to order stuff you can't find locally? If you have a favorite local source, do they do mail-order? (I'm also posting this on other Asian boards here. Answer wherever you like.) Thanks for your help.

Okay by me

Hey, Marlene will be in town then (January 31, right?) Do we send her a personal invitation, or what?

I'm in for lunch!

baw: YAY! Another new face! Not to worry, I've had many more in my loft. Definitely room for one more. PM me with your closest subway line, or bus, if that's what you prefer, or point of entry if you're coming from outside Manhattan, and I respond with the address and travel directions. Beverage contributions of all sorts will be greatly appreciated. And as for the food, as long as you can make a case for its being somehow related to pie, it's okay with us.

Just about any restaurant supply house or cookware store will have them. So do craft stores. The main thing to check is that they're made of food-grade plastic -- that won't leach some poisonous polymer onto your plate.

I believe F. Dick knives to be the most aptly named. (Got them in school kit)

No Durian Meringue Pie?

YES

I wonder if it's the same kind of thing as saying the words "I'll make you a deal," which I once made the mistake of saying to a WSJ reporter. If their media outlet has rules and regs on professional behavior, all that stuff is verboten. Somehow I can't see FoxNews as being in that higher class, though.

Oh, Jenny, how can you possibly say that? Just because the exact same post is on StarChefs, too? (I trust everybody -- until I start to smell something funny. And I've got a VERY accurate nose. )

Um . . . when you come, we'll teach you what you do and do not have to do to get your posts up, now that you've been vetted. I LOVE coconut cream pie, and haven't tasted a good one in years. Bring it on!

Or go to the Sunday brunch at Iridium (eat beforehand ) to hear Bob Dorough. Younger folks know his stuff from "Schoolhouse Rock," be we geezers know ALL his stuff, especially songs he did with Dave Frishberg. (The time we went to see BD there, DF happened to show up, and sit right next to us ) Knickerbocker has good performers -- we've seen Billy Taylor there, and Judy Carmichael, and Joanne Brackeen -- and decent food (pretty good steak), but the crowds there will talk and talk through almost everyone. We have not been to Sweet Rhythm since it was Sweet Basil, but knowing who the owner is -- James Brown, formerly a DJ on WBGO in Newark -- I'd trust their talent. And then there's the Jazz Gallery; and The Knitting Factory (close enough to some good restaurants in Tribeca); and Cornelia Street Cafe, which has some interesting stuff besides jazz, and very good food, as well.

I'm with GG on total jealousy. Uses for preserved lemons: everything you cook will be improved by a bit of preserved lemon. Truly. After they've sat for a while and softened, use them to make tagines (chicken with green olives, especially). But also: puree some lemon into you salad dressings; mince it to add to vegetables and stews of all types; blend with butter for a sauce for fish. Fresh lemon is good to perk up just about anything; preserved lemon perks it up AND makes it a bit mysterious.

Oh, no. Be brave, be forthright. (as long as you wash the scallions well ) I think they will be too breathtakingly beautiful for anyone to worry. And I believe in never lying about what's gone into the food (too many people get too crazy).

Well, okay then! Since you mention scones, how about cheddar-scallion? Or will that green stuff be too scary?

That in itself says a lot about the unmemorableness of the meal.

From what I can tell on the website, they are nothing but a concept at this time. So, rosie11211, how did you say you found out about them? They haven't even been written up yet in Nation's Restaurant News, and the story in Crains was last October 27th. What took you so long to tell us?

I too thought of the classic chocolate wafer-whipped cream deal. The only problem is the chocolate wafers are not that easy to find. But I'll bet if you used, say, large thin ginger cookies, and a coffee-flavored whipped cream . . . mmmmm.

This was our gossip about Sifton before. I'm not sure what is post is, where, now.

Just about anything goes for brunch (within people's dietary quirks and restrictions), so it's kind of hard to narrow it down without more analysis: Will you be able to heat it up when you get there? That is, can you bring something that will need to be heated up on the stove or in the oven? (Microwaving is NOT an option, as far as I'm concerned! ) Otherwise, mmmmm, quiche popsicles! Can you ask the host for a category? Have these folks eaten anything you've made before? Can you trot out something you love to make that might be new to them? And Welcome! Never feel over your head here -- we all learn from each other.

There's always Sam Sifton. Remember, he filled in for Asimov when Asimove filled in for Grimes. But this is all idle chatter.

I'll bet not, because it contained . . . . . . . . . . . . LAMB! Ewe, that's yucky stuff. (Thanks for asking though, gives me another chance to say: it was soooooooo good! )

I'm in the process of putting together the list of who's coming with what. Will have it up later today. Remember, if you need the address and travel directions, PM me. IMPORTANT: Please bring cameras; I have none. Okay: in no particular order, the expected attendees and their proposed contributions: SuzanneF + HWOE: (hosts) X-Cultural flatbread pizza; non-alcoholic beverages (teas, coffees, skim milk, vanilla soy milk, seltzer) elyse: Pecan Pie alacarte: Vinegar pie; Nana's smashed potato/Crisco pie, plus Tagamet?? MHesse: Lemon Souffle pie SobaAddict70: Lamb Shepherd's Pie (depending on availablity of really fresh shepherds); or Quiche Jason and Rachel: Little fillo pies bloviatrix: Sorbet (even eGulleers cannot live by pie alone) sherribabee: Potato Pie Picaman and KirkL: Apple and onion Tart; TBA jeunnefilleparis: Grilled Cheese Pie laurenmilan: Chai Spice Apple Pie; White Chocolate Mousse/Pumpkin Spice Mousse Pie; Durian Meringue Pie forkandpen: Chicken Pot Pie Al_Dente: Beverage slkinsey sans BergerK Pan wawairis megc El Gordo and Ellen R Washburn and his wife Bond Girl Moopheus and spousal unit JosephB and Donna (late in afternoon) Nothing on this list is set in stone, except me and HWOE. If you have not stated your intention to come, you still can/may. If you have not declared your offering, you still can/may (or not: surprise us!). And if you're on the list here but can't come after all, we'll miss you.