emmapeel

I have two more places that I think are very good, but both are for take out. If you are of the mind set that pizza must be eaten directly from the oven, then these places are not for you. One is the Sullivan Street Bakery, which serves a type of "ciclista," and other types, many without toppings. The other is Levain Bakery on W74th Street. Although it is a gas oven, they sell a carmelized onion, a mushroom, and a seasonal one, currently that is artichoke. The crust is charred (but gas, remember) and so delicious.

Thanks Daniel, can't wait! How was the Carbonara (I mean was it prepared without cream)? And are you sure it was great or is it the four Bloody Marys talking?

As a person raised by a Southerner, my Mother cooked grits quite often, but I would have none of it (or pig's feet for that matter). I regret that now, (not the pied du cochon) but I've heard about this Shrimp and Grits dish recently and understand it's fantastic. Do you have a recipe or can you give me an idea of what the compents are?

I find this thread very interesting because it has not only taught me so much about food and cuisine, but has also helped my gain insight into the society at eGullet. I found the thread Osterie d'Italia by Slow Food, or escaping from the Michelin man fascinating, and enjoyed reading it because there was so much great writing, especially by Bill Klapp, Craig Camp and others, but I don't see them writing much anymore. I don't want to stick my foot in my mouth, so if this subject is taboo, just say so. Otherwise, I love Italian cuisine, and I love French cuisine and don't understand how they can be compared. I admit, I didn't like it when ideas were posed such as Italian food will never evolve. It may be true, but I've wept over food in both Italy and France, and would probably weep over some dish in India and Indonesia. As long as chefs can keep me sobbing, they are artists. So, is the question really about which cuisine is better, or who is creating something new? In the recent Oats thread Jensen just made oatmeal a side dish and named it Avenotto, so does North America finally make it to the temple table? (Just joking, but I think you get my drift.) Ivan's French Epiphany is also interesting. I'm not a food historian so I will not attempt to discount it, but are you telling me before the French, people only ate to survive? I doubt it. They had tastebuds. But the post is so good that I made Oeufs dur Mayonnaise for dinner and it was fantastic. The Italians also model simplicity in their dishes, and with equally astonishing results. The first time I had Ravioli in Butter & Sage in Firenze, I thought I'd die. If honoring the soul of the dish is a French invention, let them have it and thank them. But if honoring the soul of a dish was only discovered by the French (much like Columbus discovering America with the Natives living here), then let's not attribute elevation of cuisine to them. If that is the case, they get a salute.

I have to agree with you. It is my favorite sandwich and only once did I buy one that was exceptional. It was the "Special Sandwich of the Day" at Mangia. It was on a baguette, yet, all the flavors flowed in balance. They never offered it again, so that summer, I started to experiment with making a perfect one. Oh, there were so many types of bacon, Double-smoked, Apple-Smoked, Slab not smoked...I use it thick-sliced, and bake it in the oven, but have not yet decided which is the best. They are all good. And so many types of bread, Artisan, loafs, baguettes, boules, pain de campagne, store-brand white loafs... I think Zabar's Peasant Bread offers the best background. It has a very crusty, yet chewy rind, and soft inside. Lightly toasted, it's oblong shape is good for bacon slices. Lettuce was not difficult: Romaine! But the tomato proved to be the most important decision. In-season beefsteak tomatoes offer the best melding juices. Needless to say, the best tomatoes are available late summer, therefore I now only make the sandwich around that time of the year. Occasionally, if I find hot-house heirlooms by accident any other time of the year, then it's time for a BLT. As for mayo, I'll use Hellmans, but if I have it, I will use the refigerated french mayo that's being sold around town. I don't know the name. So, what do you think the best components of the BLT is? And if anyone knows a restaurant that serves a decent one, I'd also like to hear about it.

"And that, as they say... is the dish."

I also don't use milk in oatmeal but I did once try the following from Martha Stewart which used heavy cream. If you like sweet oatmeal, I once tried this recipe for Oatmeal Brûlée. It was a lot of work, and very good, but I only tried it once. (It was enough.)

I love White Castles too. I don't understand it; they're garbage. But if I were on death row, they would be among the last meal, right up there with a frisee and lardon salad, roast chicken and pomme frites. We have a few locations here in Manhattan, and one of my most guilty pleasures is to take them to the movies on a weekday afternoon. (Now, that's pathetic!) It does not surprise me that the Ledgewood location is doing so well. "It's the taste you crave."

Yes, Cakewalk, you're right. They were going to use that "sperled" milk on the mush. I must try the method of toasting of the steel cut oats first, to taste the depth of flavor.

Great! thanks, now I get it. "Mush" and "Porridge" are childhood words to me. Mush is from the Little Rascals famous for the scene in a orphanage dining room, the kids spreading the word around the table... "Don't eat the mush!" "Why?" "It's spoiled!" and Porridge is fairy tale food. Boy, was I was thrilled my parents didn't feed us Mush! Cream of Wheat has always been a favorite of mine, but now I only eat McCanns Steel Cut. They are great and chewy.

I have a really dumb question...I always thought porridge was oatmeal, am I mistaken? If so, what is porridge? I spit out my wine!

I swore I'd never eat mussels. I mean when I was growing up they were all over the beach at Coney Island, (yes, I'm a peasant) but in Paris one night, alone, and mind you I speak enough French to read a menu (or so I thought) I thought that "moulles" were medallions of pork and ordered them. When they brought Mussels and frites, I was flabbergasted and too embarrassed to return them. I thought I'd pretend to eat them, but that pretense turned into unabashed love, and now I search the city for great places to have them. On the other hand one night in Sydney, I ordered an appetizer of tandoori chicken, an entree of salmon and instructed them to make it well. "No," they insisted, please first try it the way the Chef makes it. So, I went along. The chicken was practically raw, and I returned it. The waiter came back and said, "The Chef wants to know if you want your salmon well done, because he has to make you a new chicken dish, and wants you to be sure about what you want". Well, I never!

I believe you would add the percentage that equals 20%. On the other side of this topic, I once had a boss, who was British and was bi-national. She would be in New York two weeks and then in London for two. She took 6 guests to a well-known but not top-tier restaurant, and they added 20% bringing the bill to approx. $1400. She tipped 25% on top of that. I know she did not think, because she was stateside, that the gratuity had been already been added. I was sure she was not being extra generous, because no firm would allow a 45% gratuity and she would eventually have to pay it herself. I called the restaurant and queried them about it. The management assured me they pointed it out to her. When I said, "hmmmmm," their response was to offer me dinner with a guest. I did not go. I thought it was truly bad form on their part. It was a thorny situation. Because I didn't want the staff to lose the extra funds, I opted to keep my mouth shut.

I always tip on the total bill and have always thought it was strange to care about this. Let's assume, for a moment, that the bill is for $250 per person before tax. NY State tax (8.625%) on that would be $21.56. So, assuming that you want to tip 20%, if you tip on the pre-tax amount, you're tipping 50 bucks. If you tip on the after-tax amount, you're tipping 54 bucks. For me, I don't think the difference between 300 bucks and 304 bucks is worth bothing about. ← Sam, you're so right. It is of little concern. My question arose from the NY Times article "The Waiter you Stiffed has not Forgotten (Feb. 2, 2005)" on the subject which used "total bill" as a reference point, but never addressed the issue of tax. Suffice it to say, I also tip on the total bill.

I've been pretty fortunate with friends tipping in restaurants...but I don't hesitate to say up front, "we're tipping 20%", if we're in that type of establishment. I don't think it's bad to tip 15% in regular restaurants. If I found myself in your situation, I would call and offer the tip for my friends. (It's possible they will decline.) For some fun reading, read Waiter Rant , the life of a waiter, or Bitter Waitress which has the bad tipper database (very funny.) There may be some advice about this situation on these two blogs. Once I wrote to Waiter Rant about advice on tipping, (My question was "Does the diner tip on on the total bill including or excluding tax?" He responded, excluding.) So, he may have an answer for you also.

My Goodness, they look absolutely fabulous. Obviously, they were as good as they look, I'm sure. (Come on, tell us...) Thanks for taking the time to share the adventure with us.

Well then, it's first on my list, have not been there yet...I'll let you know what I think. (Can't wait! )

I think the appeal for the Magnolia Cupcake is that they look so much like an illustration out of a child's book, like some fantasy of Candy Land. I was not dissapointed, and happened upon them quite by accident, strolling on Bleecker one day, before they became a phenomenom. It had been years since any bakery in Manhattan sold a basic layer cake (unless you were in Harlem) that was not Carrot, most of them shifting to Tortes and Tarts with underlying French/Patisserie-wannabeism directing their offerings. It was great to see them sitting in the window of that little shabby-chic cafe. I don't find them so fetching anymore, because I've had too many, but I still respect the bakery for bringing American-style baked goods back to the city. If it were not for Magnolia, there would be no Billy's, Sugar Sweet Sunshine, Crumbs (yuck!), etc.

I feel Cupcake Cafe is the best, but another really great cupcake is at the Fairway Cafe. They are Michael London's vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting. The cake is very good, and the frosting is a dense buttercream. Has anyone else tried them?

I'm such a sugar addict that I did not realize they were that bad, but I am inclined to agree with your opinion, because I think the cake is lame. I will however, say that the experience at Cupcake Cafe would have pleased you, unless they have changed in recent years. The cake is rich and dense, and the icing is unlike any butter cream I've had. It's sort of like silky, creamy butter, but flavored. It's the type of frosting that wouldn't last ten minutes in the sunlight. I ordered a birthday cake from them once and it was extraordinary.

Yes, I am also a Mallomar junkie, and have known for years about the summer hiatus. But I'm curious, what do you pay for them? In New York, I have seen them for 2/$5.00 (at Fairway) up to $4.99 (Gristedes) for one package. I'm curious what the rest of the country pays for one of the best cookies in the States. (No, Pinwheels are not a substiute.)

One pricing structure I've seen that made me happy as a diner, and perhaps made the restaurateur content also is a prix fixe, with or without complement of wine for each course, including dessert. I had this experience at Mark's Restaurant in the Mark Hotel. Ordinarly, I may order a glass or two, perhaps a bottle if I'm so inclined, but this structure encourages partaking in the Sommelier's offers. My assumption is that they sell more wine, and the markup is spread proportionately among the diners. They also have scheduled dinners with tastings, at a cost I find quite palatable. It is not Per Se, Jean Georges, or ADNY, and I am not suggesting that it is, however, for those of us not inclined financially or otherwise, to pay $200 and up for a special bottle of wine, it's pleasurable. The menu is limited; it is a hotel, but what they do they do well. Can fine restaurants do the same and continue to be profitable? If Daniel's Prix Fixe with wine was priced at $175 or $200, I would not hesitate.

I like Arturo's, all though I am a little concerned about the vermin situation. When we were there a few weeks ago a small rat caromed off of my wife's foot in the middle of our meal. ← I like Arturo's also, but I had a similar experience. While waiting for my pizza a cockroach (german, not waterbug) boldly walked across my table. Arturo's is in a very old building and long overdue for a gutting and remodel. It might help.

Hmmmm, no, no breadcrumbs. It isn't southern, I think, but I have seen it done. The issue about the white sauce, I would agree would not have carrots, celery or onions. Garlic and nutmeg on the other hand, are the "secret" used in this dish by many southern cooks. Mayhaw Man, where are you? I'm a northerner raised by an Alabaman southerner.

How do you keep your oven so clean? it's one of my life's mysteries. Great Cornbread...mmmmm. I like that you don't add flour and use bacon fat. Very authentic southern style cb. Thanks for the lesson and photos.