Suzanne F

Me, too! There will be a sign-in sheet for people to list their edible/potable contributions (even the boughten stuff), because otherwise we'll never be able to identify everything afterwards.

URGENT REQUEST: Someone has to bring a CAMERA, please!!!!! I do not have one (digital or film). Thank you.

Maybe more paper plates. Otherwise, I think we're okay.

I've got one very big (think Thanksgiving turkey-size) platter, two rather large platters, and a lot of 14-inch platters. The giant plastic salad bowl is already spoken for, but the 2 regular size plastic salad bowls are available. I have lots and lots of cereal bowls and slightly larger, and a lot of "vegetable serving dishes." A couple of miscellaneous baking dishes that could be recruited, if I ask them nicely. And a few pieces of Lenox hostess stuff, but they're on the smallish side. Which all comes down to: I think I've got what people will need. And if not, we'll improvise.

Fear not. I can always come up with something. I'm just a dippy kinda gal. Hey, wait: if Belmont brings brandade, that might do it. But I'll still do one.

Oh no! no hummus! I used up some of the essentials (roast garlic, garlic oil) on the batch for July 4th. I made a terrine of chicken & duck livers and pork instead. And some marinated olives. So the vegs can be chomped plain, as palate cleansers. As for the head count, there may be others not "signed up" on the thread -- I sent out a bunch of pms. My count is now about 16.

Forley. Forley. Forley. Forley. Yup, her, too. Wonderful, wonderful book.

A convent? YOU????? Sorry. If you can flex the pans with your hands, DON'T GET THEM. The sisters will cast all sorts of spells on you. If the pans feel fairly solid, don't flex, and weigh, oh, say 3 pounds each (full sheets, right?), get 'em.

Schneider. Schneider. Schneider. Schneider.

I generally ignore the classic repertoire, unless somebody asks a question about it. But you could strain the juices and use them to make the whole thing into a brisket en gelée by adding a little gelatin (unflavored Ko-Jel, of course) to the re-warmed, defatted liquid, pouring it over the meat, and rechilling. Like my mother used to do, without the extra gelatin and without knowing she was making classic French dish, if you know what I mean. Or just reduce it a little, and we can heat it up for a temperature contrast of warm jus on cold meat. Well, it's only a suggestion.

Ain't school leftovers grand?

It's MY HOUSE, and I say: just don't come empty-handed. Tommy, that does NOT mean you can walk in holding your, um, self. Something you make is first choice; and something to drink. But something you buy is okay, as are plates, napkins, etc. if you really feel stuck. Just come!

Bottles from airplanes don't count! Why not? I'll take 50 of them, anytime.

Or just bring a bottle . . . or 2 . . . or 6

Damn! Just when I was thinking, No, I'm satisfied with my lot . . . Even just a decent countertop rotisserie unit would be nice. And an espresso machine that gives good head (aka, makes a decent crema ). And a fridge that my condiments won't fill immediately. To those who want Italian ice cream machines: check Williams-Sonoma for big sales; I got mine for something like $200, down from $500 -- although that was about 5 years ago. And, re Mandolines: Benriner beats Bron in sooo many ways, as Jinmyo pointed out. Do you really, REALLY need to make gaufrettes? (well, yeah, sometimes ) But homemade chips are still very impressive.

Who's going to collapse? Well, if anyone does, there's a hospital out my bedroom windows. Of course, it's 9 stories down.

Is that why she's your LATE Auntie?

For that many people, your friend might have to cheat a bit and put the salmon through a grinder with the coarsest plate. That's a LOT of salmon to hand-chop and still keep safe. (About 19 pounds of skinned, boned fillet if using 2-ounce portions of fish; about 30# for 3-oz portions) I don't have proportions for 150 portions, but this is the vinaigrette a chef I worked for used for tuna tartare (makes about 2/3 quart -- maybe about 35 to 40 portions, at 1 tablespoon per portion): 45g grated ginger 50g finely minced shallots 1 tsp. cayenne 105g soy sauce 95g lime juice 70g sesame oil 110g extra virgin olive oil 200g lesser olive oil. Whisk together. For each portion, add about 1 tablespoon of vinaigrette, plus extra minced shallots, chopped cilantro leaves, slivered scallions, minced chives, and very thinly sliced fresh Thai red bird chilies. Serve with thin slices of cucumber, shredded daikon and carrots (spiral cutter), cilantro sprigs, and red tobiko.

Megc: bring the bunnies. I've got a cast iron grill pan. Seriously, though: it has been suggested to me privately that since there will already be so much food, this event can be opened to any tri-state-area eGulleteer (and visiting firemen, err, eGulleteers, too!) who would like to come, whether or not you can cook something to bring. Beverages are always welcome (hard or soft), as are purchased items (Chinese jerky? anything from any kind of "ethnic" store?) We're nowhere near seating/standing capacity yet. And HWOE finally installed the new ceiling fan, to complement the 2 air-conditioners. Just PM me for directions (I've got the spiel all set up for east side, west side, even driving from the east side ) To give a general idea, the location is in Lower Manhattan, near City Hall, near J & R Music World, and 3 blocks to the northeast of the former WTC site.

What I found most interesting on the LoL site was that for all the spice substitutions, they did NOT say "flavor differences will occur."

Ah, Benriner! The big bad Bron only gathers dust. I guess some of us are born instinctively knowing, "Never pay retail." But it's even better when places that already discount (such as Broadway Panhandler or Century 21) cut prices further. How do you think I got all my AllClad? Even better, extra Microplanes, silicone spatulas, sieves, rolling pasta shape cutters, etc. etc. I always figure that if I get a year's use out of something really, really cheap, any further use is lagniappe.

Not another cookbook, but another food book: The Slow Food Guide to New York City Restaurants, Markets, Bars (bought pre-release, at the Fancy Food Show).

Damn! Now I'm tempted to make some sorbet too, just to have a taste-off. Naw, I can't possibly steal Rachel's thunder. Besides, . . . well, I just want to taste hers! Sounds sooooo good. What about Bacardi Limon? Maybe I'll get some to pour over?

And of course it helped that even though at the start he said something to the effect of "gelato is not ice cream," by the end he was raving over Wingding's olive oil gelato at Otto. "Sounds like the ice cream version of an oil slick, but it tastes like heaven." BTW: last year, the peach at Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory was THE BEST since I last tasted Haagen Dazs Elberta Peach lo these many years ago. Probably better, in fact. Ed is so right about both!

Me too.