Suzanne F

Bouley's Tribeca expansion moves back to the frontburner in Downtown Express issue of December 10 - 16, 2004. BTW: David, is that you in the middle of the picture?

It was never public, at least not in the 25 years I've lived near it. In fact, "strangers" were looked on with suspicion (at least I was when I would pass by on my early-morning power walks ). The South Street Seaport Museum used to have a 6 a.m. tour once a month, but I don't think the public was otherwise welcome. It was just too dangerous (read what the guy says about the hi-los; they drive those things FAST!). When SSSM opened its first new building, back in 1985 or so, there was a retail counter supposedly connected with the Fulton Fish Market. But since FFM is a group of many, many dealers, I don't believe it really was official, rather just someone using the name. In any case, it didn't last more than a couple of years before the true nature of the "new" SSSM (aka Rouse mall, NYC) came through. If the new place is anything like the rest of Hunts Point, there will be no public retail. The only way an individual can get into Hunts Point to make a purchase is if he/she has an invitation from a vendor there and can prove it to multiple layers of security. Some years ago, Ted Lee and Matt Lee wrote in the NY Times about going there to buy a bag (probably a 50-pound gunny sack) of raw peanuts to boil. They had a hell of a time getting in.

At long last, a piece that does not purport to speak for the workers, but lets them speak for themselves. Cool. There was an article some months ago in the Village Voice, I believe, that lamented the move as destroying the urban fabric, just as the move from Les Halles to Rungi destroyed Paris. Horse hockey on both counts. (If anyone has a chance to find the discussion here, please post the link.) I live close enough to the Fulton Fish Market to smell it on a really hot summer day, and I pass close to it on my way to the supermarket. I will miss that smell, but so what? The foodservice industry overall has barely made it into the 20th century; why not allow this bit of it move into the 21st?

For those who do not know me: I am a former line cook and pastry chef in NYC restaurants, with a culinary degree (among others). My first professional cooking gig was at Le Bernardin, and I also worked for Drew Nieporent. The chef for whom I worked most (at several different restaurants) received three stars from the NY Times for his current place. I also have close to 20 years' experience as a consultant on organizational behavior and performance improvement. I do not give any credibility whatsoever to the posts on anonymous bitching websites. There is the stink of the schoolyard to them, with the same desire to hurt others as much as possible, truth be damned. Venting one's spleen does no one any good, if the only reason is to make someone/something else look bad. The only site I regularly read that is remotely of that type is On the Rail, but even there the focus is not simply bitching, but FOH and BOH people advising each other on how to fix what's wrong at their establishments, or at least how to put up with what cannot be fixed (but is not downright illegal). The power could always have been in the hands of the employees, if we/they would only use our brains; those sites are NOT an exercise of power, but one of assumed powerlessness. What a sad waste of talent.

Dani: Burger Club was founded about a year and a half ago by an eGullet member, with the sole purpose of eating and rating burgers. The original NY club is no longer officially affiliated with eG, although some eG members do attend on the now rare (pun intended) occasions there is a meeting; I'm not sure about the status of branches in other cities. I have put myself in great jeopardy by telling you this because one of the first rules of BC is: "No one mentions BC."

The story is not online yet; at the TONY website there's a lag of at least a week. Add: when I checked last night, there was no discussion on CH or the BC site.

So you can't get it as a dinner app. Damn. Of course not! What do you think the lamb chops are for? ← Gotta agree 100 percent!!! Does anyone know if the "researchers" talked to any of our current or former members? I sort of suspect not, given the list of 100 and the opinions stated, many of which are diametrically opposed to those we had.

Adam, I'm curious: how big is the volume of a kilo of panko? Bigger than a breadbox?

Caraway: crush lightly and add to sauerkraut or pork stew Mustard powder: add to the roux when you make a white sauce (especially if you use a white sauce as the base of a cheese sauce) Chili flakes: you really don't have ideas of what to do with them? Next time you make spaghetti with oil and garlic, add a sprinkle of them. Tarragon: throw it out. Dried tarragon is nasty, and OLD dried tarragon is tasteless. And NulloModo: add fenugreek to mashed potatoes.

I still have trouble getting over the fact that when they first opened, they posted a Zagat review that said something like a 26 overall rating -- except that it was for the original in New Jersey. Dishonest, I believe.

In theory, school is great for these reasons: 1. There is someone who can answer the questions you have that your reading doesn't clear up. 2. There is someone who can show you different ways of doing the same thing, rather than your just assuming that the way the book shows you is THE way. 3. There is someone with whom you can discuss the different techniques, to help you decide which will work best for you. 4. There is someone -- and more likely several people -- who can help you finding work during and after your time in school, and with whom you can network for the rest of your life. I say "in theory" because the quality of school faculty varies greatly. Better to go it on your own than pay a lot of money where you can't get the above. And if you aim is only part-time work, you have to decide whether the intellectual stimulation is worth the investment.

I'd love to say that I go to the market each day and pick out what looks best to cook that night . . . but that would be a lie. Since I tend to buy vegetables once a week, and other items even less often, I buy and cook far more than the two of us can eat at one time (can you say, seven 3-cup containers of beef chili? ) I often have items in my fridge that need to be used up before they go bad. So in the morning I will have a look and decide, Hmmm, better have those potatoes tonight; and those cooked turnips won't last much longer . . . etc. And that forms the basis of that night's dinner, even if it's only a side dish. Once I make that decision, I can then spend the rest of the day figuring out just what to do with the "basic" food -- ethnicity/spicing, cooking method, accompaniments, etc. When I have a packed fridge, I may plan a few days ahead; but the process is the same: what to use before it rots. Edited to add an example: today's show is brought to you by CARDOONS. Haven't yet decided whether to serve them over pasta, or add them to a risotto. Not in a stew with meat, I think, because we've had meat at just about every meal for the last week. All I know is: tonight, we eat cardoons.

Okay, health claims (or anti-health claims) aside: I don't understand why people like sodas so much because to me, almost all of them taste NASTY. I like a Coca-Cola maybe once or twice a year (provided I've got something really salty to eat with it), and Fresca makes a rare but acceptable mixer. And I'm not above a cranberry juice spritzer made with seltzer. But I find that standard-issue ginger ale is tasteless, root beer is nothing but sweet -- I just don't get any gustatory pleasure from drinking that stuff. So even if, for argument's sake, there may not be a health risk, why not just stick with water (I'll even grant you bottled water, for locales with unpleasant-tasting stuff)? Why defend soda drinking so vehemently when it has no nutritional value AND an unpleasant taste, to boot?

Peel them first. You can actually keep the peeled nuts in water for a couple of days. But yeah, you could eat them plain. They are sweet and crisp and nutty. You'll never want to eat canned again. If you slice them very thin and saute them, they make a great garnish.

The only comment I can add is: get an offset blade. Otherwise you will keep banging your knife-hand knuckles on the counter as you get to the bottom crust.

If you have access to Rieslings from the Finger Lakes in New York State, you might like them. We just had a Treleaven Riesling that was surprisingly light, crisp, and fruity. Used to like Dr. Konstantin Frank, but last year's was disappointing and haven't had this year's yet.

Well, yeah, but there is no moderation in the product itself. Regular sodas may have the equivalent of as much as 12 teaspoonfuls of sugar -- that's ONE QUARTER CUP, FOLKS. Do we really know the longterm effect of ingesting the equivalent in artificial sweeteners (6 packets of Sweet N Low, Equal, etc.)? And anyway, what good does carbon dioxide do a body -- maybe that's the supposed GERD culprit? -- besides helping you to make rude noises?

Well, at least you liked the excellent Dan Dan Noodles and Braised Pumpkin. Sorry you weren't thrilled with the Jelly fish -- yeah, the jellyfish itself is more a texture than a flavor, but I've found the scallion oil makes up for that. As for the smoked duck: I'm jealous. When a group of us were there a few months ago, our table wanted to order it but they were out. Next time you want to go, bring more adventurous friends. Or let us know here, and we'll be happy to join you. And Happy (belated) birthday!!

Welcome, rascal! What you suggest sounds kind of like rillettes, no? YES! The only thing is that after it's all cooked, you'll need to remove the bones. And I suspect that you might have a jell-able liquid exuded from the meat and cartilage, that you would want to store separately from the "confit." Jensen: I think I followed directions that were given here on a congee thread (probably THIS ONE on the China and Chinese food board). Something like one cup of rice to many quarts of water, cooked on LOW overnight. Ridiculously easy -- no need to stir stir stir.

Fenn Valley? ← Jeez, how could I remember? It was almost 30 years ago and there's been a lot of stew stewed since then

DO! Mine is also a 6-quart -- Russell Hobbs (sp?) that looks suspiciously similar to the one Williams Sonoma is selling for a lot more -- and I just love it. For confit (duck, onions, etc.), for stock, for braises. Oh, and for congee!

The only food I've ever had at Cafe Sabarsky was -- what else, pastry -- and it was wonderful (a kirschtorte). The savory stuff looked very, very good, too. [sometimes I wish I had taken the job there that I might have. Sigh. I really admire Kurt Gutenbrenner.]

Absolutely get the Oxtongue and Tripe cold dish!!!!

Yes, about a year ago. I was there not long after it opened. It was okay, but not a place I'd care to return to, especially not on a night when there's a game at the Garden. This is what I said about my visit there. I must add that at least it is better than the last restaurant to occupy that space (MK's), but then even a McDonald's might have been an improvement.

Nya, nya, I've got Preserving and you don't. Thanks, but I'll pass on eBay. (I'm a coward. ) I'll just keep checking at my favorite used book stores.