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Jim Dixon

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Everything posted by Jim Dixon

  1. There's a shuttle that runs from the train station downtown to the airport...that might be an option. Jim
  2. No photos in my new US edition, but that didn't keep me from salivating. Jim
  3. Mine came today! (I'd ordered from Amazon 2/15). I pulled one my pork bellies (from Pierre's pigs, mentioned in trillium's terrine thread) out of the freezer. Now I have to decide whether to make boiled belly and beans or brined pork belly, roasted. Jim
  4. Jim Dixon

    The Terrine Topic

    trillium, That terrine would be perfect for my 'oil for food' program. I've found caul fat at Sheridan, but they don't call it that (and I can't remember what they did call it, but they had it). I used some of my liver to make a sugo a la Bertolli, and it was less ooo-ey to slice it while frozen. I want a whole pig from Pierre this year...I wonder if you could get it before the butcher cuts it up. Hauling it over the mountains would be a challenge. (we both got half pigs from the maker of Juniper Grove cheese..they're some kind of heirloom breed, were raised on cheese whey, and the pork is very tasty) Jim ps...also have a contact for goat now...will keep you posted
  5. Ben, If you're driving back to Milano for the ride home, check out Levanto as a possibilty if you also want a quick hit of Cinque Terra. It's the northern-most town on the CT rail-trail pass (not one of the five) and a nice little spot. You could ride the train down into CT, walk part of the trail, spend the night, somewhere, and be within a few hours' drive of Milano. We also found a pizzeria there that served farinato, the chick pea flat bread of Liguria. Rapallo, farther up the coast, is also very nice. Jim
  6. Jim Dixon

    Olive oil pomace

    Pomace oil is made from the sansa, the leftover grit after the virgin oil is extracted. It's trucked from the frantoio to a refinery that uses heat and solvents (like hexane) to crack the last fraction of oil. In the past chemical residues have been found in pomace oil. I wouldn't eat it, but I don't eat other refined oils either. Jim
  7. When my son Joe, who seems to have inherited my curmudgeonly qualities, was living in Eugene (Oregon), he used to rant about the freegans, vegans unless they find some bacon in the dumpster. Jim
  8. Jim Dixon

    Crotasc

    Deirdre, Sounds like another reason to visit the Lake country...we flew into Milano for one trip but didn't really spend any time there before driving south. But the problem for us is that, even if we stretch our stay in italy to a month, there are just too many places we want to return to, so it's hard to decide where to spend out time. We prefer to settle in at one spot for at least a week at a time. Not exactly on the same subject, but I read your comments about Camilleri on your site. I just found his books (read two so far) and agree that he provides an interesting perspective, especially with the asides about food. I just finished Dibdin's new Aurelio Zen book, Medusa. He does the same thing, and the sense that it's a very natural part of the Italian view on life (that is, to think about food this way) is something that always seemed very accurate to me. Jim
  9. I couldn't find an outlet here...I ordered from the website. Jim
  10. docsconz testified about calzuros a while back, and I wear mine more than anything else when I have to stand...I found the euro sizes to be smaller than my birkenstock benchmark (birks are 43, but my calzuros are 44-45). You can toss them in the dishwasher (or autoclave) when they get dirty. Jim
  11. Thanks... I found out about the nomination right here on eGullet. And I saw Martha's name, too. Jim
  12. Food... clarklewis...new and really, really good...the chef will do a family style dinner for you...contact me for an email address if you're interested Ken's Artisan Bakery...probably one of the best bakeries in the country 28th Ave...Navarre, Noble Rot, and Tabla offer small plates and good wine within a few blocks New Seasons...just to see what every supermarket should be like Bastas...most underrated Italian in town...across the street from Ken's ripe family supper...served in the catering kitchen, $20 + wine + tip + $5 dessert, openings on 3/27 (email me if interested, but hurry), one of the chefs was Mario's sous Gotham coffee shop...same owners as ripe (and clarklewis), breakfast and lunch only My Cahn...Portland has incredible Vietnamese food, and this is my favorite Paley's...for upscale sit down NW food Not food... walk the Waterfront Park-Eastbank Esplanade loop for the best view of downtown and the river drive the Columbia River Gorge-Hood River-Mt Hood loop, a full day, but amazing if the weather is clear...eat lunch in the dining room at Timberline Lodge (worth the trip alone) fo surprisingly good food drive around Sauvie (locals insist on calling it Sauvie's) Island, walk on beach along Columbia (or stop by Kelley Point Park, a few minutes from Jantzen Beach, for beach and river) have a local guide you through a few of Portland's older neighborhoods (Irvington, Laurelhurst, Ladd's Addition) trillium is almost right about Smart Park...you get 4 hours for .95/hr in the city-owned garages...be sure the garage says Smart Park, though (several in downtown core, 2 on SW 4th alone)...meters downtown are free after 6, and if you drive around the block a few times you can find a spot...or park near Lloyd Center and take Max for free downtown Jim
  13. This is Italy's cavalo nero (black cabbage), indispensable in ribollito and the favorite vegetable of Tuscans. I usually chop (chiffonade) and add to some onion already cooking on olive oil...cover, add a bit of water if needed, and cook about 20 minutes. Good as is, or top bruschetta with some beans and a little of the cooked cavalo nero. Pork, particularly sausage, and kale are made for each other. Jim
  14. Ben, I've posted this here before, but so you don't have to look here it is again http://www.realgoodfood.com/venice_food.html Check out especially the bacari (wine bars) listed...most likely one will be open. Alle Testiere has gotten hot (RW Apple mentioned it again today in the NYT...but the place he mentions out by the Lido sounds fantastic, so you may want to pick up a copy of the Wed paper or check the web site..the story is about Venetian seafood), but is worth a try. We always have the best luck wandering in the outer neighborhoods....you can get a glass of wine and some cicheti (Venetian version of tapas) for a few bucks at a bacaro, and if it's good, stay for few more. Have a fantastic trip.... Jim
  15. Fat Tony, Welcome...a mixed blessing since you'll soon find that eGullet consumes most of your 'free' time. Anyway, I cook on a Weber a lot, and while I lust for other fire burners and have plans for expanding my ability to set fires, you can cook almost anything on the Weber. The fixed grill isn't an issue...I adjust heat by banking the coals up one side of the weber (and I use real wood charcoal, often called lump briquet...check your local True Value, where it's an inventory item and can be ordered). Light the fire with a charcoal chimney, and when it's ready, pour the coals onto one side in a sloping pile. For searing and other direct heat cooking, put the food over the top of the pile. For less intense direct heat, move the food over the bottom of the pile...indirect goes off to the side where there are no coals. Be sure to read the brine stuff by Lord of the Fire-Ring barbecue master col klink. Jim
  16. Note: Shameless self-promotion below... I've got a very nice Portuguese flor de sal available (about two-thirds of the pallet is still in my basement...I call it Lot's Wife), and it fits into a USPS priority mail pouch for low-cost shipping. Go to my web site for details. end of ssp.... Jim
  17. Buried in that article was this link to the Italian maker of the hand-cranked rotisserie. I want one of those! Jim
  18. We stayed at the Doni a few years ago for 125,000 lire/night (about $65 in the strong dollar days)...booked through guestinitaly.com, and close to San Marco (useful for finding your way home). Jim
  19. clarklewis navarre noble rot tabla basta's the usual disclaimers apply, but any of these fit your request. I'd recommend clarklewis. Jim
  20. Rachel, Thanks for the amazon link...just ordered a copy and found a used Cooking by Hand (Bertolli's new book) for about $14. And in an ironical twist, I'm sitting in a Borders in LA (Orange Co, actually) using the t-mobile hotspot service for the first time...which works very well on my new PB G4. Jim
  21. Buffet da Pepe Easy to find in the heart of the old town...simmering pots of various pork parts (roast, ham, tongue, cotechino), fished out upon your request and trimmed of a few slices, then served with sauerkraut (Trieste was Austro-Hungarian for a lot longer than it's been Italian). Look for Fred Plotkin's writings on Friuli for more, but don't miss da Pepe. There are also several classic and historic cafes here in Illy country. If you'll have a car and want to stay in great agriturismo, let me know. It's about 10 minutes north of the city. Jim
  22. funny you should mention blood oranges...I also made blood orange marmalade, which I had been planning and had the fruit for before reading about the bergamots...thought about combiing them, but wanted the pure experience first. the bergamot marm is intense and pretty tart, but I like it. Jim
  23. Nicky USA, a wholesale distributor, will sell anyone game if they buy at least $100 worth, or at least they used to...I haven't bought anything for a year or so. They're in SE near Sheridan Market. You can download a pdf catalog from their website. Jim
  24. trillium, Thanks for the heads up over in the Pacific NW board about these oranges. I picked up a few this weekend and made marmalade (with props to Nigella for the short cut recipe). I simmered the fruit whole for about an hour, then cooled it. Cut into slices and basically sectioned (use fingers and knife to separate membrane and seeds), sliced rind thinly, then mixed it with pulp and sugar (about 60% sugar by weight...600 grams fruit, 400 grams sugar) and cooked. I simmered for about 30 minutes, until the rind was almost completely transluscent. Very good (and the house smelled great all day) but still pretty sour, which I like. Jim
  25. looks like mostly Italian with an emphasis on the south and Sicily...they're still building it, and the menu says they'll be adding a red and white each week. Jim
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