Suzanne F

Girls, if I may break in here: Biglots????? 'Splain, please. Otherwise, carry on. This is great stuff!

I'm with you there. Not that I'm afraid of running out; just that when it's on sale, it's ON SALE. May I give you a couple of hints? 1. Make sure the butter in the freezer is wrapped airtight; it can easily pick up off-flavors otherwise. (but you already know that) 2. If you saute in butter but don't already use it, turn a few pounds into clarified butter. Keeps forever in the fridge.

He should also have a complete physical, in case there is a medical reason contributing to his weight loss.

YES! Let the chef know, with the particulars of when you were there and what items were eaten by all who got sick. Since there were several of you, it is likely (although not certain without testing) that it was, in fact, something you all ate. The more information you can give the restaurant, the more chance they'll have of finding exactly what happened in the kitchen and preventing it from happening again. Your acquaintance with the chef and numerous previous visits add credence to your report; clearly, you are not some crackpot just trying to rip them off (or some misguided college professor doing unauthorized "research.") In fact, NOT telling the restaurant allows the problem to continue; more people could then be made ill. Food borne illnesses can also be caused by chemicals -- a dishwashing product, cleaner, bleach, etc. -- that inadvertently make their way into the food. These products can cause a reaction in less time than infection or intoxication from microbes. Such materials can get into food because someone decided to re-use a chemical container not meant for holding food, or any number of other accidents and mistakes. If it really is a good place, they'll investigate, clear up the problem, and not take inappropriate punitive action against the person or persons who made the error. This becomes a training opportunity, which most places can use all the time. Edited to add: Seven hours was about the right timing for me -- twice from seafood at a clambake, once from steak tartare -- for infection or intoxication from microbes.

Neat! If you get a copy, bring it along. (You ARE coming, right?) Also, if anyone has a copy of Pascale Drouaeiouc's (sp? ), please bring it. I'll dig out my copy of Sue Hubble's New Yorker article, source of one of the best definitions of regionality I've ever heard. (Y'all will have to come to the potluck to hear it )

I second. Devilled beef bones -- spread with mustard/horseradish/garlic, coat with crumbs, bake until browned. The only way for a carni-rare-vore to eat well done! Me want MEAT!

Oh, yeah. When we go on vacation, I always hit the used-book stores in Southern Vermont. I finally learned to take a copy of my cookbook catalogue so that I won't buy what I've already got. Anyone need Time-Life Foods of the World Pacific and Southeast Asian Cooking and/or The Cooking of the Caribbean Islands (hardcover only), bought twice before I wised up? Even so, I ended up with both the hardcover and paperback versions of Christine Ingram's World Encyclopedia of Cooking Ingredients because they changed the name for the paperback. Edit to add note to Maggie: do not add any of these into the count; they've already been recorded.

Maybe he was wearing a skirt?

Actually, it's quite small -- maybe only 2 quarts/liters at most. Remember that I only cook for 2, so I'm talking about 4 medium potatoes, or 1 or 2 plantains. As for the brand, I have no idea. I got it at one of Broadway Panhandler's yard sales. Only the fine and coarse plates can actually be used; the center hole of the medium plate is not reamed properly. And it is NOT stainless -- maybe it's tinned steel? -- so I have to be careful washing it. Still, I love it. I even used it to make spaetzl once, with the coarse plate. Worked pretty well.

I'm not sure where else to put this thread; here seemed as good a place as any. My current fave is Fresco's response to Rabbi Ribeye What's yours, present or past? (If you need help isolating the post in a thread, pm me for how I did it)

There was a piece in the newspaper a few months ago about some woman wearing shorts (think: hot pants) to The Four Seasons. Apparently some celeb-of-the-moment, or at least someone with lots of money. Hey, better to do it where the chairs are nicely upholstered, than someplace with pleather. Ouch.

What degree of doneness did you aim for? What did you get? How thick was the meat? Come on, man, details!!

I cheat. I use Knorr Tom Yam bouillon cubes. Then I add whatever I have around that I think will work. (FYI: I get then in NYC at the Thai grocery store on Mosco Street in chinatown.)

fresco!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heather, I love the crunch of the seeds. Like a sweet-tart caviar, almost. Tonight: Loin Lamb Chops, marked in the cast-iron grill and finished in the oven. Sauteed Bok Choy (a little peanut oil, a little sesame oil) Pilaf of Pardina Lentils and Orzo -- this was GREAT: sauteed mirepoix of carrot, celery, garlic, scallion, and fresh rosemary in fat from the duck confit; added the lentils and orzo, salt, pepper, and plain water. Folded in some chopped parsley and scallion green just before serving. Cooked too long so the orzo got very mushy, but HWOE said it was like risotto. Salad of red leaf, radicchio, red and green bell pepper, cucumber, and herbed feta, with a vinaigrette of olive oil, white wine vinegar, S & white pepper, and "artichoke cream." Wagner Pinot Noir.

Suvir's okra is never, ever slimey.

I always go to the one in NYC, even though I say, "not again this year." It's fascinating to see what the trends are, whether they're edible or not (I mean to food; some of it is disgusting). But if I had to travel an hour, I probably wouldn't go; the hassle isn't counter-balanced by the great discoveries.

Think whatever you look best in, whatever gives you that confident air. Think clean and neat, not "fashionably" distressed. You're not there to get the other diners to like you; you're there to have a great meal. It's an occasion. Dress up comfortably (not necessarily an oxymoron).

We did that once, in a restaurant in Provincetown, MA. No, actually it was Larry, husband of my college friend Andrea, who perkily replied, "Nice to meet you! I'm Jim, this is my wife Rowena, and these are our friends, Seymour and Lucy." That was the start of a downhill slide for the waitress, who, after knocking over a (full) ice bucket among other oopses, disappeared in the middle of our meal.

For a beautiful description of one family's Hanukkah traditions, check out Rabbi Ribeye's story.

What's all y'all's opinion of using Wondra for the flour?

Oh, yes, of course I do. But it's on the top of that pile, and not that difficult to pull out. Actually, I haven't used it in a while; I bought a ricer recently and have been playing with that instead. But I'm not happy with how it rices boiled plantains, so I'll go back to the food mill for them. The jury is still out on mashed potatoes. And the winner is . . . THE FOOD MILL! YAY!!!!!!!!! I can dump all the potatoes into it at one time -- in fact, I use it as a colander to drain them -- and never have to reload. And takes less brute force. And it's easier to take apart, rinse, and fit into the dishwasher.

OT but related: I used to burn my hair frequently when I smoked: I was working at a theater and would pull a Bette Davis, waving the cig around near my ear.

In my family, we always pronounced it GREE-ven -- with a "V" and no s at the end. That's just the way we did/do it; I have no idea why.

We have an esteemed member here who is frequently asked for the recipes for the fabulous creations we are privileged to taste. She declines, she MUST decline, because those recipes are the basis of her business. That is fair, IMO.