Suzanne F

Even after reading Ellen Shapiro's saga, I still don't get Mongolian cuisine.

Not in NYC & S, but in Food Media and News and the India forum. But it's great to hear from someone who has been, even if in the very early stages. You're the first!!

Sure is! That's the place downstairs, near Les Halles, right? For $3.50, what can I lose?

I'd vote for that. I'd rather see Herb than Rachel any day. At least he has the sense to not be so perky all the time. Oh, wait, I don't have cable . . .

Bicycle Lee: the recipes are on their way to you as we, um, speak. I should have warned you that the measurments are in grams and milliliters, and oven temperatures in Celsius. Oops. If you have trouble figuring anything out, just ask. Sorry. The Time-Life recipe is very similar, and in U.S. measures.

Here, at last, is the link for Diner's Journal on the Biltmore Room.

Yeah, when? Because if it was in the evening, jeunefilleparis (Lauren) would have been on duty!

Well, I can't believe that you could eat anything after Thursday! (Guess I'll have to head back to Queens, land of my birth.) You and Mrs. Dr. Varmint were real troopers! Great pix. Great visit. Y'all come back, y'hear?

I've got a beautiful book, Rainbow Cuisine by Lannice Snyman (published by Koneman), with recipes from all over South Africa. It's got a recipe for Bobotie, and one for Fish Bobotie as well. Let me know if you want me to pm them to you. And good luck.

Oh, yeah, "Chicken say cheese" How could I forget that?

Welcome, lalmirch! Here are my suggestions, with the caveat that I tend to be almost 100% Manhattan-centric: I get fresh lime leaves at Asia Market (74-1/2 Mulberry) and the Thai grocery on Mosco, next to Fried Dumpling. Never checked if they are Kaffir lime, just "lime leaves." For items like those blood oranges, I'd try the fancy stores on the Upper East Side, like Litsakos or Agata and Valentina. Or Fairway. Or someplace on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn (maybe the folks at Sahadi can point you in the right direction). And there's always Kalustyan, in Curry Hill.

WHY? 1. Because it is readily available and relatively inexpensive. (The practical reason) 2. Because it offers infinite opportunities for experimentation. (The artistic reason) 3. Because it offers infinite opportunities for experimentation. (The scientific reason) 4. Because it is good to eat alone, and good to share. (The social reason) 5. Because it tastes good under almost all circumstances, and feels good to eat, as Jinmyo pointed out (The REAL reason )

Yes, where were my manners? THANK YOU, DUMPLING for pulling it together. Believe it or not, HWOE and I just got back from, um, eating dinner. Well, we actually split one dinner (app, entree, dessert) between the 2 of us. See, tommy, I told you it wasn't too big a meal! And Herb, you do NOT suck. You're just too shy.

Actually, it wasn't as much as it sounds. Very small portions. Except for those who took doubles because other people didn't or couldn't or wouldn't eat theirs. Don't worry, tommy, the only thing anyone said about you is that you're the same in person as you are online. Or maybe you should worry. On the walk home, HWOE and I ran into Varmint, Mrs. Dr. V, and Paige, and I am proud to say that they did NOT behave like tourists: they crossed the street against a DON'T WALK sign!! (Well, Paige lives here now)

Except that elyse forgot the starter and Jason forgot his camera , it was a delight! We had many of the same dishes from the New Year's dinner(*), and a few different (Dumpling can supply the correct names): Almond-coated Fried Shrimp* Watercress and shrimp dumpling Chicken dumpling -- although by mistake some had shrimp in them as well; vegetable dumplings for those who needed Seafood stuffed beggar's purses in soup* (plus one vegetarian version) Peking duck, served in steamed bread instead of pancakes* Steamed lobster with egg white and shredded dried scallop* Vegetables in sauce, with rice, for the non-meat, non-seafood eaters Stir-fried steak, in a black-pepper sauce Stir-fried lobster with turnip cake in XO sauce* Eight precious crispy chicken stuffed with sticky rice* Braised long-life noodles* Pastries and fruit* Elyse's Pecan Pie, mmm pie Attendees: Varmint and Mrs. Dr. Varmint (Marcella) Mrs. Dr. Varmint's friend from high school, Paige Dumpling Blondie MHesse jeunefilleparis Jason and Rachel elyse sherriebabee Suzanne F and HWOE It was another blast! Lots of fun, lots of laughs, lots of talk, some gossip about the not-so-dear departed. We got the report on Varmint's dinner at Babbo last night (yummmmm; the regular tasting, not the pasta) and gelato at Otto ("Now, how ARE you supposed to pronounce it?" he asked. ). We learned that in the Varmints' part of NC, the pie is pee-KAHN; a PEE-can is what you wee-wee into, although in other parts of the south that IS the acceptable pronunciation, and in other places it's PEE-kahn or pee-CAN. Whichever, the Varmints agreed that elyse's was very, very good. As noted, Jason forgot his camera, but Varmint had his, and got shots of just about every dish -- some before serving, some individual portions. It will be a few days until he can post them, though, so cool your jets. Tonight they're going to Blue Hill. We'll all have to wait for the report until they get home. All of you going down for Varmint's pig picking, you are lucky, lucky people; what great folks the Varmints are! Herbacidal: Just listen for the LOUDEST group next time!

Since Soba is away: Friday, September 26, 2003 Diner's Journal: The Biltmore Room This is one of the most thoroughly positive DJ's I can remember seeing: every dish mentioned is good, some are superb. Not a single negative anywhere (could that be why there's no mention of the service?). (link to follow)

Oh, Katie! I was really looking forward to chatting more with you. Not that anyone else coming is a slouch -- but . . . bummer.

Isn't Chicken Maryland in the U.S. fried chicken with a cream sauce and bacon? And maybe some kind of fritter alongside, too.

Thanks, Kim. Yes, those were the onions. Wonderful.

Jinmyo: the only reason to use bison is if you're feeding people who are afraid of fat. Or who want something exotic (like ostrich) but not too exotic (like alligator or rattlesnake). The flavor is like very mild beef. Good beef short ribs are better; even so-so beef short ribs are better. The lack of fat was not a problem, since I had seared the ribs and sweated the mirepoix in olive oil first. And used a whole bottle of wine and a can of broth. However, the lack of "wobbly stuff" has kept the sauce from jelling; I pureed the veg into it, but it is still missing that unctuous mouthfeel. Now that I've tried it, I don't have to make bison again.

This is a clearcut case of child abuse, to let the tyke eat like that. Hope it's not a really close friend, DaniMrynn.

I keep forgetting to ask: who brought the pickled (?) red (?) onions? They were absolutely PERFECT with the pig!!!

I've had the tartare at the original (P.A.S.) LH, and it was very good. They used to mix it right there in front of you; don't know if they still do. But that way you can stop them from adding something you don't want (a friend deleted the mustard). The tartiflette is one of my favorite potato dishes, and I potatoes.

Bison ribs (from the Greenmarket) braised with mirepoix + garlic and rosemary, Chilean cabernet sauvignon, and canned beef broth. Oh, and sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cooked overnight in the crockpot. Buttered bow tie pasta; steamed broccoli The eternal salad with balsamic and olive oil St. Francis 2000 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon

Unless you like chicken sashimi, DO NOT use the recipe in James Peterson's Glorious French Food. But that's just my opinion. And while you may not learn how to roast a chicken, you should certainly be amused by the thread that guajalote linked to; it was like a live version of "The Restaurant" right here on eGullet!