twhalliii

can someone post or link to a good recipe? I know it's easy, but I have a party later tonite and am making Peppermint Bark in one pan... toffee in the other pan would be cool too. I'll be using unsalted, unroasted almonds (that I could salt and roast if you all think I should). Thanks!

Ok, everyone... I am mostly a lurker on this section of the site (although I did make a nice molé thanks to you all!) but I am on a mission... To create a delicious steak in my low-rent, grill free apartment in Brooklyn, NY. I have tried several methods with mixed results. I have a "grill top" piece that overlays two burners, but without a good hood vent (the first thing I will buy when I get my dream kitchen), this pretty much sets off every smoke alarm in a two block radius. Smoke aside, it just isn't good enough. I have tried the broiler under the stove, but it too seems to be just a step away from being right... It must be me! I do have a couple of things working in my favor; I have a great local butcher only a few steps from my front door that carries dry-aged NY Strip (yum). It is hard to walk past this store every day without grimacing in frustration that I cannot prepare this steak to the level it deserves. My second advantage is that I seem to have a knack for seasoning; I'm not shy with the salt, pepper and use a dash of butter and this seems to add a nice flavor to the already quality meat. But it just isn't as good as I want it. My goals: a nicely seared crust, medium rare, and a seasoning/ preparation method that delivers the goods without alarming the fire department. Grill aside, what am I missing? My neighbors and I thank you for your insights... Tom Edit: merged from another topic... never mind and thanks for the advice!

It's really strange; I have lived in P Slope/ P Heights since 1997, and my friends and I rarely leave the 'hood to dine (its too easy to get a decent meal close by), so I have been to many of the local places many, many times. al di la has long been my favorite place in the neighborhood because it has always felt like just the type of neighborhood restaurant I could never find in my home state (MI). That said, in the past two years, I have found myself going here less and less, and when I do go, I get more and more disappointed. Two reasons, I think... The menu has barely changed in the years since I started going (if it has changed at all); the spinach gnocchi, the beet ravioli, the rabbitt and polenta, everything. This is a kitchen that now seems bored... how many times can you knock out the same 10 dishes? Second, as the level of quality as risen in PS and on Smith Street, the place has grown to seem less and less exceptional for the area. Couple the rise in standard in the neighborhood(s) with the decline in the food at al di la, and I think you experiece a different restaurant. In 2001, it seemed like a revelation. Today, I still go once in a while, but it seems to need an infusion of something different to re-energize the kitchen. That said, the dining room is charming and the perfect representation of the Park Slope ideal; tight, almost communal tables, a mix and match antique feel, and always great service, friendly and professional. The wine list is great for the price point as well; you can get a great bottle for a reasonable price. The no reservation policy is also nice for the local crowd; the relatively new wine lounge next door is inferior to the old "leave a cell phone number and go have a drink elsewhere" policy they used to have and maybe still do (how many times did I go for oysters and a beer at Blue Ribbon while waiting?) Anyway, point taken. Hard not to love it still, but it ain't what it used to be...

No photos, but I followed Abra's recipe to the letter, save a few substitutions-- -- Canola for lard-- it made the sauce lighter than I expected, but it was delicious anyway -- Ibarra chocolate, I used 9oz instead of 6 and it did not overwhelm -- Piloncillo was unavailable, so I used the Mexcan dark brown sugar that comes in the hard packed disc (also starts with a 'P' can't remember the name) I also added a little white wine in with my chicken stock. To be honest, the flavor of the sauce is so complex and deep, who knows how much of a difference it would make. All I know is the sauce was a smashing success when I served it with a roasted pork tenderloin and chicken breasts (some at my party didn't eat pork). We served it with saffron rice w/ tomato and onion, chili con carne, and watermellon and avocado salad. All 14 guests tried a little of everything and everyone loved the mole. Also, though it took me a little bit of time to make (4 hours), it wasn't THAT hard to make. I got into the rhythm of chop, sautée, blend with broth, add to pot; chop, sautee, blend with broth, add to pot. I used one cutting board, one sautee pan, one blender, one knife. In between each round, I rinsed everything, but since it was all going to the same place, I didn't pay too much attention. After the the last ingredient, I washed the appliances the board and the knife, chilled the molé, and re heated next day adding more hot broth to thin it. I would absolutely make this again and I feel like what, on paper, seemed an intimidating process was actually a lot of fun. Plus, added bonus, I didn't taste the sauce during cooking because it was supposed to be gross tasting until done, and when I finished, I ended up adding one extra disc of Ibarra for a richer flavor, and that was that. Fun! Thanks for sharing this recipe and for the chance to share. Tom

We are having a big (14 person) dinner on Sunday and I am on the hook for Chicken Mole. I did it to myself because I've loved the stuff ever since I tried it at a luncheon in Mexico, and I love a good challenge in the kitchen. So, I'll be trying Abra's recipe. Off to shop! Tom

piece by piece. Its a nice 60-70 min experience and the chef is great to talk to. he also lets you know when the fish has been prepared in such a way that soy sauce may or may not be appropriate. We just went again last saturday and will go again this saturday. Yum.

No reservation required-- the place is very small and low-key... Decor is non-existent. This is not a place for a special occasion (unless simply eating great sushi is a special occasion to you like it is to me). There are 8 seats at the bar-- I asked if it was possible to reserve the whole bar for 8 friends to all get omakase and he said to call for a reservation, so that is a possibility too. Size: The sushi was perfect size, I think just about the same size as Blue Ribbon (*maybe* smaller) but the size was just what you want. all in all, I had no complaints at all. Tom

Well, this is why I joined eGullet! Thanks to you all for finding and suggesting Taro Sushi. I have lived in Park Slope for 8 years or so, and I had no idea this place was even there! Yes, it has only been for 6 months, which assuages my wounded pride at not knowing about this place (everyone wants what is best in their own neighborhood, don't they?), but now that you all have turned me on to it, well... why go anywhere else? My girlfriend and I ate at the sushi bar on Saturday night (4/30/05). We both had the $30 omakase and it was exceptional. More than that, sitting with the chef and having a lovely conversation as he prepared our food, talking about his fish selection process, and being given special treats, well... it was exactly what I love in a restaurant: quality of the higest order without the pretense of luxury. Maybe its just me (my motto is "Democratize Opulence!" after all), but I love being treated like a valued customer regardless of how I look or what I order. If you come with an open mind, even in blue jeans, you should be able to enjoy the finest. The chefs at Taro Sushi, it seems to me, feel exactly the same way. Our omakase went <i>something</i> like this (all sushi): 1 monkfish liver paté appetizer (liver paté in vinegar and seaweed) 1 bluefin tuna belly 1 bluefin tuna 1 spanish mackerel 1 salmon 1 horse mackerel with vinegar and scallions 1 horse mackerel with jellied seaweed (?) 1 yellowtail 1 fluke 1 red snapper 1 octopus (flash grilled with a blowtorch, then kissed with lemon and sea salt) 1 eel 1/2 tempura sweet shrimp roll 1/2 blue crab and avocado roll 1 baby (and I mean BABY) eel sashimi in vinegar with roe (dissolved in your mouth... amazing). Extras (not on omakase): For grins, I decided to try one piece of uni for me and one piece of octopus for her. Then a tempura red bean mochi to top things off... Oh, and 5 20 oz. Sapporo Reserve beers, shared. Total: $99 Notes: The fish was so fresh and so delicious and the perfect size. I have been to Blue Ribbon Sushi up the street SEVERAL times, but this meal was unquestionably more delicious, more intimate, and simply more fun. Plus, for the amount of food and drink we had, it was literally 1/2 price, if not more. The biggest revelation to me was the uni. I have had uni before and was not much of a fan at all. i found sea urchin to taste like dirty feet being washed in the sea, or something like that. But the uni the chef served me at Taro exploded with a delicious briney flavor and none of the, lets call it "stinkiness" of some I had tried before. It is still a challenging flavor, but one, in this case, that complimented the oceanic flavor of all of the fish the preceded it. The chef said he gets it flown in from California, and if I ever order it anywhere else to ask the chef if he "cares about his uni... if he looks puzzled, steer clear." This was something I would eat again and again. Of course, the best part was watching the chefs, talking with them casually about the restaurant, where he got each type of fish, even where <i>he</i> went to eat sushi (Answer: Sushi Den Its fast and decent, he said.) We learned about the sister restaurant in Tokyo, the chef's work on Wall Street serving bankers "toro, salmon, california rolls... very boring... In Brooklyn, people like to try new things, to have new experiences..." (this, of course, won our hearts). I even mentioned to him that over the summer, I always head back to Michigan to see my family and we always pick up Whitefish livers. He was fascinated by this and I promised to bring him some back if he would let me sample what he prepared, which he thought was a fun idea. Anyway, I felt at home and fell in love with this place. Thanks so much for showing me a jewel in my own back yard!

This really isn't much of a culinary report, but I work in the indie film world and got to attend the Showtime party at Nobu for the TriBeCa Film Festival last Friday. Showtime rented out the whole place and fed hundreds of party goers and the food was very good. This is the most coveted invite at the festival, and you can see that for certain businesses (read: those that don't probably need much financial help), the film festival does bring cash into TriBeCa. Anyway, if you are interested in the festival and some minor comments on the food and champagne, I did post a blog piece about this very generous party <a href="http://blogs.indiewire.com/twhalliii/archives/003584.html">Here</a>. for what its worth....

Sunday April 24 was my first time to Babbo for the previously mentioned step-father's birthday dinner, and it was exceptional. We had the exact same meal as quoted on Catherine's blog, except we swapped out the Pyramids for the Beef Cheek ravioli, just to try them. So, the pasta tasting on the webite is not quite up to date. Also, on the suggestion of previous posters, we tried a bottle of the Rosso Conero 'Adeodato', which was a little too fruity for me, and a nice $52 dollar bottle of Montepulciano, suggested by the sommelier, which I liked better (I like my wine drier). They didn't keep the bottle on our table, so I wasn't able to study the label, but it was lovely. As I mentioned before, the step-dad a) doesn't drink (more wine for us) or b) have very adventurous taste. I found out during the course of the meal that he doesn't like mushrooms... so the funghi wasn't his favorite and I got to chuckle to myself as he scraped the truffle off of his Beef Cheek ravioli, before I spooned them up and distributed them to my mom, girlfriend, and myself. Sometimes, the limitations of others can be an asset to you! He loved the lamb bolognese and most of the other dishes, so he was really pleased overall and was glad to feel (if not actually be) adventurous. Good natured dinner partners always make the difference, don't they? The service was top notch, and they even brought out 4 different desserts (the pisatchio chocolate semifreddo, the pineapple crostini, the saffron panna cotta, and the apple cake-- all were very good) with a chocolate HAPPY BIRTHDAY on my step-dad's apple cake (I had only mentioned it was his birthday a few minutes prior). This touch, and the completely unpretentious wine selection (I had asked for a bottle of a nice dry red in the $50 range and was presented with a bottle quickly and with kindness -- a feeling that the sommelier was excited to be turning me on to a new wine) really were kind and added to the goodwill of the experience. The pasta was everything everyone said it would be and more... Light, textured, full of its own flavor while balancing with its various condiments. Six dishes and I wasn't overly stuffed, and I found myself taking far more time than usual to savor each bite. sadly, I tend to eat fast, but nothing like quality and unique flavor to slow you down, which only increases one's ability to concentrate on the flavors. It made me feel like slowing down more often and truly savoring life. There was a nice young couple next to us taking photos of their plates and receiving the full attention of the captain, who was taking good care of them. If either of you ladies are on eGullet, I would love to see your photos and hear about the seafood pasta you shared and the pork (?) dish... that stuff looked great. This was a great restaurant and a truly delicious, unpretentious meal. I would certainly return and recommend it to anyone. PS_ they played Squeeze and Coldplay during our meal. I'm not a fan of the hippie rock (The Dead? ew!) but I love Squeeze and Coldplay is dinner music anyway. It was so fun to hear Squeeze at such a nice place, we took a cab to Sing Sing and did a little karaoke with our nightcap... fun.

I'm going on Sunday with my parents for my step-dad's birthday. He is a pretty conservative eater, but isn't against trying things... so, do you think the pasta tasting menu would be 'safe' enough? I have never been to Babbo, but I would love to try the pasta tasting because I have heard such raves... PS- he doesn't drink either, so no pairings...

Hi all This is my first post as a new member, but I have been reading your comments and threads for a while now. I am so excited to be able to share with you all. I chose this topic for my first post because I think Artisanal is a lot of fun and there are a lot of good reasons to go there... but there are also some pitfalls... First, the pitfalls. I would really advise anyone going there not to "over order" because the portions on the appetizers and salads are large, as are the mains. When I first ate there, I tried and app and a main, and when the time came for the cheese course, I was stuffed to the gills. I would choose one course and then cheese, but be sure to try the gourgeres for the table. They are light enough not to make much difference. The other pitfall is the service, which is rushed, cramped, and relatively indifferent. I have never had service here that has made me 100% satisfied (and, having waited tables all through my early 20's, I am a sympathetic customer who understands that things happen). That said, I really like the place. The food is good bistro fare, nothing risky or shocking. The Coltrane or Miles Davis playing on the PA always livens things up for me, its nice music for a bustling, urban setting. Sometimes you want to feel like you're eating in the big city, and this place does the trick. (Also, I have never been to Paris, so I like to fantasize a little. A boy can dream, no?) I LOVE that all the wines come by the glass so I can try something for a first glass, something with my main course, and something else for the cheese. And I love their cheese selection. Use the fromaggier... he was really helpful for me. I told them I wanted a big bold blue, something potted and stinky, and something grassy and firm, and I got all three. My two cents. If you do make it, enjoy. Nothing out of this world, but if you like an informal, bustling scene and want to share lots of cheese with friends, I think its a great pick.