emmapeel

I have tried a chicken recipe from Jaime Oliver that is a milk braise, with lemon and sage, that I love. It considers the curdling an asset, because by adding lemon to the milk it creates a type of cheese. I serve it as recommended with polenta. Otherwise, I agree with Epernay, if you want to avoid the curdling.

Bar Americain opened this week. The website is still under construction, but the menu is available.

Be still my heart! That is something Jen... Sorry it wasn't perfect, but it certainly looks like it is.

Also on the Bar Americain website.

That's not china, it's a Le Creuset Gratin. By the way Fifi, it looks so good, I'll have to try it.

Jensen, we share the same Birthday! Happy Birthday. I can't wait to see the terrine... mmmm.

I have to pay taxes on my earnings too... I used to tip with cash often, but after a statement like that, I'll have to charge my tips from now on!

Well, I'm older now and will try it again. Until recently, (and it could still be there) there was a fresh chicken store on W126th street in Harlem, but I think it's gone due to gentrification. I never bought their chickens. It was a warehouse, much like a garage, and you would go to the large open door that had a barrier and yell across at the butcher to pick your chicken. I only buy organic chicken now, but I know it's frozen. As a child, I can remember my mother purchasing and cooking whole chickens, feet and all. But she grew up eating freshly killed birds. touaregsand, I too was taken aback to see whole birds in Paris and Italy, but I did eat chicken there and it was great. I assume though, that they were at least a day old, but maybe not.

I hear this so much about people not liking Bobby Flay on eGullet, but not elsewhere. Honestly, I'm at a loss to understand it. I don't find him offensive. I used to watch him on FN often, and I never noticed arrogance (except maybe towards his ex-wife, on the grilling show, and that did not sit well with me.) It could be that I remember him when he was doing spots on daytime TV programs and seemed nervous and unsure. Regardless, I like him and I like Mesa Grill. He seems to me like any hometown person. ( maybe that's it. People also think New Yorkers are rude, and you know what they say about not being able to smell anything bad in your own home. )

I've only had freshly killed chicken in the south, but I found it very gamey, and have never liked them. I think you're right, they may taste better after a day.

It looks like Bar Americain opens this week. I'm in love with the concept and so interested to try the ham tastings and gulf shimp and grits. Here's some buzz.

I cannot direct to you any restaurants, but Bermudian Cuisine is based mostly on fish. (No surprise there, huh?) Some dishes you may like to try are Fish Chowder as mentioned by many here, Codfish, potatoes, onions and bananas which is delicious for breakfast, and is made of dried or frozen salted codfish (and stinks like hell when being prepared.) Bean soups and Bermuda Onion soups, Cassava pie and Hoppin' John. My favorite fish to eat there is Wahoo. Although I've never had them there, I understand Indian curries are quite good in Bermuda as well. Also mentioned earlier in the thread, for evening cocktails you might try the Dark and Stormy, made of Black rum and Ginger beer. I love Bermuda, it's such a great place. I hope you enjoy your stay.

I have not read the entire thread, so forgive me if this is redundant. There is a wine bar/wine store in my neighborhood that I love, called Vintage. The back of the store is a wine bar, and you can taste everything they sell. I love that! edited to add: they only sell local wine, from New York, and that's a good gimmick here.

Well, I took your advice and froze the soup Curlz, and I think it's great! The freezer is the single cook's best friend for sure. Last night I made a braised chicken dish, thanks to Fifi. I read the braising disscussion on EGI, and I thought it was so good because it was really the first time I was working without a recipe, yet with a process. I made a delicious dish. I braised two chicken breasts, 2 slices of bacon, carrots, onions, garlic and chicken stock. I browned the breasts in olive oil, butter and bacon fat. I love when chicken falls off the bone and remains tender. The breasts must have come from a mammoth chicken (each weighed 3/4 pound), and I could only eat half a breast, so I have lunch and freezer food.

I think if the party asks upon the reservation to bring a cake, it should not be a problem. I think a nominal "cake-age" fee is fine also. What I cannot accept or understand, is a restaurant that says no, unless it's 4 star. The scenario I assume is that the cake is purchased beforehand not because of not wanting to partake of the restaurants desserts, but because the celebrated one has preferences, i.e., a favorite. If the restaurant can supply that very dessert, then, the party should purchase it from the restaurant. Where I live some popular birthday favorites are from Payard, William Greenberg, Jr., and Cupcake Cafe. Considering that, if the restaurant wants to play middle man and purchase the cake (without error), at a profit, then that is acceptable to me also. (But I will be left feeling that the restaurant wants to play hardball, in that case.) Anyone who arrives at a restaurant with a cake without asking before hand is just being rude, and I have no sympathy for them when they run into a problem. The reality of it for my friends and family is that we're all too lazy to make such arrangements and wind up eating whatever the restaurant sticks a candle in (and it's just too bad for the celebrated one).

I'm embarrased to say I cannot name any restaurants, but everything I ate in Orvieto was outstanding, to say the least. We were there for one week in late winter, and never had a bad meal. Umbria is so beautiful, I hope you enjoy your trip. Check out Civita di Bagnoregio if you have the time. It's a fun day trip. We ate in the lower town and it was good too!

FG, I'm so glad you started this thread. I have not yet used Fresh Direct, because when I try, I still want to see the product and direct the cuts (deli, butcher, cheese), or judge the produce. But I'm so tempted because it would be so easy to shop this way. I could just use the butcher, in my case it's Oppenheimer on Broadway, but their prices are far above Fairway, so I only use them occasionally. One night I compared my Fairway receipt to a Fresh Direct order to see the difference and Fairway was still cheaper (including delivery, but not by much, about $10). However, FD did not have all the products I usually buy. I shop for one, so this is a consideration for me. Items like Parmigiano-Reggiano can only be purchased in 1/2 pound increments, (and $1.00 per lb. more than Fairway or Citarella) and that is just too much. What I have considered doing is, purchasing things from FD that don't much matter, like water ($0.20 per gallon above Fairway, and since I purchase it by the case (2), it is $2.40 more, furthermore, FD has a 1 case limit) or just things that are heavy. Regardless, I'm still doing my own shopping, and having it delivered. If I were terribly busy, I'm sure I would FD, as many people in my building are doing. People in my building also use Urban Organic. Donbert, you have it made with the Food Coop. It is really something.

Now that sounds like healing food! Gotta try it. Amy, what did you put in your chicken salad? After drinking and smoking my head off, I began eating Broken Heart salads, which is a base of romain, purple cabbage, red onions, shredded carrots, and then any vegetable you want to add, topped with water packed white tuna. Dressed with a vinagrette (sometimes I added garlic and honey) followed by Gallons of water, lots of TV and good books. Makes for a new body and great skin. This is not a diet; who has an appetite when their heart is broken? edited to say: I forgot about long walks in the rain to cover the tears... Don't worry Pumpkin, it fades away.

No, I agree, I only use as many bowls as steps. For instance, onions, carrots, celery and garlic = one bowl. If bok choy is to added later, it has a different bowl or is part of its step's bowl. One has to wash along the way or the sink is unusable.

Thanks, JJ, I could not think of the name. That's the place my brother (a chef) really likes. He says it's quite good. Not perfect but "aggressive." was his term.

PamR, Good Luck this week and thanks for taking this on. (All these years I've thought that Parve meant Kosher... )

Yesssss, they do, I went in because it smelled soooo good, and I asked for a menu to read. On my way out, I said you deliver? and they asked where I lived and agreed. (Riverside and 100th) (But they don't have a take out menu.) So maybe your waist will be lucky if you're outside the zone. I'm 10 blocks away or so. Good Luck, skinny.

I think you're referring to Cafe Pertutti, which recently underwent a renovation. I have actually liked my meals there, as well as Le Monde which used to be a regular event for me. Also on that block is Nacho Mama's Burritos which is ok, and the West End on the next block up. (What can one say about the West End?) There are a couple of non-soulfood restaurants that come to mind. Native, French-Moroccan-Caribbean 161 Lenox Ave. 212-665-2525. People just like the place. I find it ok. Settepani Café, 96 Lenox Ave (at 120th Street) 917-492-4806 It's like a cafe that has soup salads, pannini and pastas. Nothing earthshattering..They are a bakery as well. One of my worst experiences was at a place called Sugar Hill Bistro. Horrible, just horrible. Thank goodness, a few weeks ago I walked by it and they were out of business. No surprise there. Thanks for the heads up on Awash, bergerka. I went past it the other day and it smelled so good, and they deliver.

Luckylies, I do the paper towel trick too, but in a steamer. (very complicated wrapping of almost soaked paper towels pressed between two layers of aluminum foil poked with holes, burgers back to back.) I don't have a microwave. (Gotta try that celery trick ) Fifi, the braised chicken looks so good. I must do that. I have a small Le Creuset marmite 2 1/2 quart and like you, I use it all the time, and I have a 2 or 3 quart brassiere. I must look up the parsons method for beans. But so far, beans are like my soups and stews, never make it past a second time around.

Question for the fishermen (or if you know) -- Are clams so good in the northeast because the water stays so cold all year (especially downeast?)