Suzanne F

NYTimes Weekly Update Wednesday, 17 December 2003 Dining In/Dining Out Section http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/17/dining/17SERI.html"]The Family That Eats Together . . . May Not Eat The Same Thing (Amanda Hesser) For Some, It's A Very Moo Shu Christmas (Alex Witchel) The Chef: A Down East Holiday Chowder (Nancy Harmon Jenkins) The Minimalist: In 2 Hours, You're Greek (Mark Bittman); see link below for recipe. Eating Well: The Kitchen Faucet is a Vegetable's Best Friend (Marian Burros) The importance of washing every vegetable that comes into your kitchen. Restaurant Review: The Southern Hemisphere, Via London (William Grimes, in his antepenultimate review) Public. From the folks who brought you Providores. In what might have been Connecticut Muffins's old factory? $25 and Under: Japanese Snacks That Skip the Sushi and Noodles (Eric Asimov) (Followers of our own Rabbi Ribeye take note of Asimov's spelling.)Wine Talk: Americans' Thirst for Wine is Rising (Frank Prial) Beef Prices Fall, but Consumers Aren't Buying That (Florence Fabricant) Food Stuff: Chocolate; Wine Carafe with Built-In Chill; "New" UWS Fishmonger; Latkes; Off the Menu (Florence Fabricant) and Food Chain: All About Ghee (Denise Landis) Recipes: 1. Braised Lamb Shanks with Lemon from Minimalist Mark Bittman 2. Scotian Lobster Chowder, from "The Chef" subject Sam Hayward

For me, it's no ploy: I really mean what I said. I hardly ever use a printed recipe, and even when I do, I tweak it. What would you have me say: "Well, I had this collection of livers in the freezer and figured it was time I'd better use them up, along with dribs and drabs of leftover sauces, so I looked in a dozen of my 600 cookbooks to get some ideas, and this is what I came up with, although I really wish I'd had some (fill in the blank) to add to it, but I guess it came out all right after all"??? That's the truth, but come on! As a for-instance: people asked me to post the recipe for the Indian-style potato salad I brought to the pig-fest at Bobolink Farms in September. I don't mind doing it, except that 1) I really didn't measure anything; 2) I used the last few ounces each of 6 different chutneys and pickles; and 3) even right after I made it, I couldn't have told you all the other ingredients I threw in. And, the recipe that I was trying to approximate is one that I haven't been able to find in my files for many, many years. I have to say that I believe intentionally leaving out an ingredient or giving incorrect measurements is inconscionable. Why force someone to screw it up? Just say no instead. Even if you gave your exact recipe, theirs wouldn't be as good, so why be so mean?

Anybody who needs a translation of the good Rabbi's words (just the Yiddish), say so and those of us who can, will.

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.

Usually I say, "I'd love to give you the recipe, but there isn't really any. I just throw a little of this and a little of that together, and I never measure. I could tell you what went into it, but I really can't tell you how much. Would you still want that?" That tends to scare the shit out of most people, since they can't cook unless there is a precise recipe to follow. And even if YOU are following a real recipe, the part in bold makes you not a total liar -- you really CAN'T tell them. Oh yes, it also has the effect of putting them even more in awe of your cooking abilities.

Are the Henkels serrated? Feh. You will rip meat to shreds, not slice cleanly through it. And you won't be able to sharpen them. Have you ever held a Global? I can't see if these are like the regular Globals. There is something peculiar (IMO) about the bolster; a very sharp angle between the handle and the blade, which can be quite uncomfortable. If I were you, I'd keep looking.

I kind of alluded to the answer in my post: but to be more specific: I almost never use the steamer insert; the folding steamer is so much handier. Many more sizes, depending on to what degree it is opened. Easier to clean -- that is, takes up less room in the dishwasher.For example, I'm cooking whole flounder tonight for dinner. I might do it Chinese-style with soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and a little oil: on a plate on the fully-unfolded folding steamer in my covered "chef pan." In which case I'll have to use the steamer insert for the green beans. But that will be a rare use for me of the insert. Mostly it lives on the bottom of the lower cabinet, all the way in the back corner, under the double-boiler insert and the food mill. My whole-hearted endorsement goes to the cheapie folding steamer. BTW, I'm on only my second one in over 30 years, so it's a GREAT investment.

2 more food books, sort of: How Are You Peeling? and Dog Food by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers -- the guys who did Play with Your Food, among others. I just couldn't stand it any longer after seeing SethG's chayote avatar so much.

Word.

Time: 1:00pm. Who knows, we may end up meeting into dinner and beyond. I'll call, since I did before, and had the unpleasant task of saying that we weren't coming after all when they called me to reconfirm (but the reservationist remained so PERKY! ) Birthday girl want cookies. Choc chip yes!!! Gingersnap, yes!!!

Seth, you're right about the weather conditions on the BB walkway: no worse that at street level; more sunshine, in fact, and what a view! As mentioned yesterday on another thread, a walk across the BB is perfect as a prelude to a concert at Bargemusic, just across the pier from River Cafe and the fabulous Ice Cream stand (too bad peaches are out of season; omg omg omg!) Wait, never mind; except for an all-Bach program on NYE, Bargemusic will be dark. However, Noodle Pudding, a terrific Italian restaurant, is right off the bridge on Henry Street (check the thread JJ started about Brooklyn).

If I may butt in here: I DO do a lot of steaming, and Sam is 100% right to question the need for an expensive pot. I've got both, and the collapsible steamer works just fine, thank you. And it has the advantage of fitting in a multitude of different size vessels. So you can use it partially closed in a regular saucepan, or opened out all the way in a dutch oven, not just to hold more food, but to hold plates (as in, steaming whole fish).

stevea: my alabama-born brother-in-law fixes himself a packet of instant cheese-flavored grits every so often -- and this from a man who fancies himself a gourmet! I don't understand how he can eat that, forgive me, slop. IMO, "instant" grain products are not made for people who have no time, but for people who have no taste. Get the real thing!

Okay, 2 more! Blue Smoke 116 East 27th Street, between Park Avenue South and Lexington NY, NY

Oh, goody! Looks like we're reaching critical mass for 1/3/04 at Blue Smoke: elyse, who may be asked to bring gingersnaps Suzanne F and HWOE (he who is actually enthusiastic this time) alacarte, who can easily stagger home picaman sans Kirk Blondie, we hope MHesse, who seems to have a couple of pigeons as his avatar (or are they lovebirds? and, we hope, Dave the Cook and some or all of his crew. Let's see, what sights can the Dave bunch see nearby??

AND then down First Avenue/Allen Street a few blocks to Congee Village just below Delancey, or to Fried Dumplings on the other side of Allen for -- what else? -- fried dumplings, the perfect snack at 5 for $1. Yes, you read that right.

For those who have come to love the Rabbi -- how could we not? -- I would like to remind you that today is his birthday: he is thrice chai. Good gribenes to you, Rabbi!

And to build on Johnny's: stick a spoon deep into the blender container filled with pea puree without turning off the motor. Can you say, pea puree on the ceiling for days, slowing turning gray? (Actually only did this once. Sometimes we DO learn )

Well, even oil and water can form TEMPORARY emulsions.

But no sales of any alcohol, anywhere, between closing time Saturday night/Sunday morning (4:00am) and noon on Sunday. Vintage New York in Soho is at Broome and Wooster, directly across the street from Broadway Panhandler, where I buy my cast iron.

Hey, no, Dave's a standup guy.

I'm sorry, Mr. North Cackalacky. Do you have jurisdiction here? (thanks) I have tourist jurisdiction. Plus, I know that you'll be quite impressed with Fairway's offerings. Indeed he will. Or else he's not the man we take him for.

Rap, rap, rap. Then they'd miss the Museo del Barrio and the Museum of the City of New York (Fifth Ave. and 102-103 Streets), and the Conservatory Garden (well, maybe this time of year, that's okay to miss). And The Cloisters! How can they not go to The Cloisters?!?!?!? And as long as they're that far up, they can check out the burgers at Piper's Kilt and be honorary BC members (is that okay, elyse?).

Do not try this at home! Here's a description of the foie gras we had at Jean George on November 1, 2002:

Ah, well in that case you've got to try to see something at LC. Or if that's just too much culture, at least have a look at the plaza and its decorations. You can remind the other Daves that a scene in Ghostbusters was filmed there, by the fountain. And speaking of Ghostbusters: the building (the Custom House) they used as the facade of the "Museum of Art" is now the National Museum of the American Indian. One of my favorite places to see neat stuff and contemplate. And it's at the northern edge of Battery Park, so you can stop in before or after you freeze your tuchis on the SI Ferry. Also not far from Stone Street, which I believe has quite a few good restaurants (I've not been, so others can make recommendations). Unfortunately, Bayard's is only open for dinner.