ronnie_suburban

When I was with the team in their food lab, before Alinea opened, Chef John Peters produced some grapefruit cells (for another dish) via the use of an industrial deli slicer. From there, individual cells were separated by hand from the thin sheets of fruit. I'm not sure if the same method was used in this case but I'm guessing it was. FWIW, it was also the deft-handed chef Peters who was peeling the grapes -- on the stem -- that day as well. =R=

IIRC -- and this may already be posted upthread -- Tony had nothing to do with the production of this show. D. Star bought the rights and Tony was not even consulted. I certainly could be wrong but that's the story I recall hearing last fall when Tony was doing some signings here in Chicago. =R=

Now that BBQ season is upon us once again, I am eager to give this a try. It sounds great. ← I read it there, I'm reading it here and I'm absolutely going to try this before the week is out. =R=

Yes, exactly! I hate that "bad or good" mentality. Listening to Susanna constantly yammering away with her "fat morality" dogma is tiresome. The whole notion is off-putting. I know she's just a regular person, trying to win the gig of a lifetime and harping on something in which she truly believes. But that single note she's plucking has been played to death already. =R=

I would definitely brine butts. I use anywhere from 3/4 - 1 C morton's kosher salt and a gallon of super cold ice water. Brine it in a cold place (safer and brining is more effective at colder temps) for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours, with the idea that the longer you brine it, the less salt you should use. And if you plan to use rub, adjust the salt accordingly to compensate for the salt in the brine. =R=

No one's questioning omnivores, whose dietary regimens are, by their nature, flexible. But, the facts remain that wealthy countries import more (diverse) foodstuffs far more heavily than poor nations do and that greater incomes attract a great diversity of goods (and not just foods). Markets always find the money. Those societal advantanges provide a wider abundance of food choices. What individuals in those situations choose is largely irrelevant in this conversation -- we are not discussing the merits of one dietary regimen over another. My only point is that people who live in wealthier countries -- whether they possess individual wealth or not -- have the advantage of more food choices, regardless of what they specifically choose. =R=

For pork, chicken and turkey I definitely prefer brining. I think it makes a big difference. Your mileage may vary. =R=

Well, it's really Bourdain's point (from A Cook's Tour, IIRC). I just applied my personal spin to it. =R=

I think that veganism and vegetarianism can both be considered "luxuries of the affluent" in certain contexts. As Bourdain has written/said, there are plenty of places on this planet where folks are happy to eat whatever little food is available to them. Compare this notion to that of a vegan who avoids locally-produced meat or dairy in favor of out-of-season produce which has been transported from afar into the vegan's town. While the vegan who purchases that produce may not be wealthy, its very availability is a function of an affluent society. In such cases, the dietary choice does require a certain level of societal wealth. Societal wealth makes what may be absolutely unattainable for some, instantly accessible for others. It transforms what could otherwise be an issue of survival into nothing more than a simple choice at the supermarket (or restaurant) . . . thus, the perception of luxury. =R=

I wouldn't bother cleaning the inside of the smoker itself. Let the residue build up. Some guides I've read have referred to this as "seasoning" the smoker. Cleaning the grates does suck but you can save yourself a whole bunch of effort by wrapping the water pan in foil. That should making cleaning it a lot easier. Congrats on your results and welcome to the club! =R=

I have to be in New Orleans on the morning of the 17th but I'm going to do my best to make up to AA on either Friday or Saturday. I'll let y'all know what my plans are as soon as I can. =R=

No, but I have seen them at Produce World (corner of Dempster and Waukegan Rd in Morton Grove). You may want to give them a call. 847 581-1029 =R=

I had a funny/irritating Farmers Market non-experience this morning. Just yesterday the property manager at the building where my office is located brought us a flyer touting that today would be opening day of their annual Farmers Market, slated to run on Friday mornings through the end of October. Not one to let an easy opportunity slip by, I woke up bright and early and arrived at my office 75 minutes before we normally open so that I could shop the market. I parked my car and ran up to my office to dump my backpack. There I grabbed a few freezer packs (we use them when we send out samples), threw them in a cooler and headed downstairs. Ready. When I finally arrived at the plaza, only a few minutes after the scheduled start time, it was completely empty. No vendors, no customers, no one. 4 small and forelorn produce stands faced the street holding not one single piece of produce. Then I saw the property manager. I asked her "What's going on? Where is everyone?" "They must have gone back to the store," she said. "The store?," I asked. "Yeah, they probably forgot some things and went back." A lightbulb (finally) went off over my head. "Who are some of the participating vendors?" I asked. "Just Jewel," she replied. Inside, complete bemusement. Outside, I could muster only an "ahh." Grasping, I asked her "not even Sunset? (a nearby store which is superior to Jewel)" "No," she replied. "They didn't want to participate." I used the opportunity to politely excuse myself, claiming that I would return a bit later on. But I was bummed. One saving grace is that there are plenty of other (great) markets in the area. Another is that my town's market starts up tomorrow morning. Still, I had been dreaming of my easy and glorious produce summer until the mention of Jewel -- and only Jewel -- had taken form. Later, I went out to run some errands. When I returned to my office I learned that the property manager had stopped by, literally thrilled with her purchases. She'd come by to show them off and compare notes. That really stunned me. After all, they were just from the big commerical grocery store located less than 2 miles from the office. I guess that some people are easy to please. I usually think I'm one of those people. But today, I'm not so sure. =R=

Does anyone know anything about this event? I've done some research and found nothing ← From Chicago Magazine's Marquee (received today via email): =R=

I wonder if the reduced rating reflects the possibility that Arun may have spread himself a bit too thin. There are frequent press mentions about his numerous projects such as Le Lan (which had a critically-rocky beginning) and the soon-to-bow Shanghai Club. Additionally, he's consulted on a couple of KDK Group's menus such as Opera and Red Light, although my understanding is that he's really no longer involved in the KDK projects. Still, that's a lot of "side" projects and there are only so many hours in the day . . . =R=

Well, it's not ancient anymore Thanks for the update, happycook23. It's much appreciated. =R=

Welcome, Harlan, to the eGS. =R=

This piece, by Kate Leahy, appeared in The Daily Herald (via Medill News Service) on Thurday June 9: Promising chefs prove their worth at Trio =R=

← What a fun list! I'll be hitting each and every one of those places on the list before 1 pm today =R=

June 15, 2005... From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section: Reach for a lively red...Bill Daley and his minions explain why Zinfandel and Shiraz are excellent pairings for summer's ubiquitous fare -- burgers. Tasting notes are included. Have pizza oven (on wheels), will travel...Joe Gray reports on this somewhat unusual business concept. Marquee players...Joe Gray provides an in-depth look at Dana Jacobi's new book, 12 Best Foods Cookbook: Over 200 Delicious Recipes Featuring the 12 Healthiest Foods. Cooks and clocks...Robin Mather Jenkins gives a quick review of Boston chef Michael Schlow's new cookbook, It's About Time: Great Recipes for Everyday Life. English peas...Bill Daley with a useful primer. An American icon with mystique...Sylvia Carter explores the significance of fictional culinary icon Betty Crocker via a review of Susan Marks' new book, Finding Betty Crocker: The Secret Life of America's First Lady of Food. ===== From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section: Family emergency puts Dad in charge...Beverly Levitt recalls some golden memories of her father and his suprising (to her) culinary prowess. Beer makes an extreme move up...Sandy Thorn Clark explains why beer is climbing the beverage status ladder. Mainstream shoppers can learn from immigrants...food editor Sue Ontiveros discovers that the best culinary inspirations often arrive with immigrants. Chefs join forces to help the hungry...Denise I. O'Neal explains what one group of local chefs is doing to combat hunger, as they host A Tasteful Pursuit at one sixty blue next week, in support of Share Our Strength. Tastings around town...Celeste Busk previews the week's upcoming culinary events at Dinotto Restaurant, The Noodle, South Water Kitchen, Viand Bar & Kitchen, Zealous, The Motel Bar, Whole Foods Market and Morton's. ===== From today's Daily Herald - Food section: Batali offers sampling of Italian dishes...David Sharos reports on how Mario Batali and other Food Network chefs are aiding home cooks with their Father's Day plans. Food and wine classes...a comprehensive listing of upcoming area food events, tastings and classes; broken out by day. Promising chefs prove their worth at Trio...Kate Leahy provides a current look at Trio Atelier and a brief history of the Evanston icon owned by Henry Adaniya, which has seen some of Chicago's most noted chefs come through its kitchen over the past decade. This piece actually appeared in the June 9 edition. ===== =R= <><><><><> Media Digest Notes... Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be edited into each week's post as they become available. Please do not reply on this thread. For discussion of any stories which are linked here, please feel free to start a new thread or contact the forum host or digester who will be happy to do it for you.

Thanks for the suggestions and information. Please keep them coming. Galatoire's was actually my first choice but they're booked solid that night =R=

Any other ideas for Sunday night dining in New Orleans? I'll be down in mid July and I'm looking for a good Sunday night spot, which takes reservations, for a group of 6-8. Thanks, =R=

chefg himself has addressed the comparing of "avant garde" chefs in the past. You can read his comments here. As for the sub-discussion taking place here about Adria and El Bulli, while it is an interesting tangent, this thread isn't the proper venue for it. At this point, I'm asking that we drop that line of discussion and return our focus to Alinea and reviews of Alinea. Thanks =R=

I don't think the issue here is the rating per se but more so that the review read like a 4-star review and then -- for no clearly rational reason -- ended with the awarding of 3.5 stars. There was also the (side) issue of the swipe he took as us culinary (sic) challenged and the fact that the first several paragraphs of the review actually review the eGS and not Alinea. For me, the primary value of reviewers and critics is this: once you find one(s) with whom you usually agree, their reviews can be useful and even valuable. I've never really seen eye-to-eye with Bruno, so I would have been more suprised by a 4-star review from him than the 3.5 he gave Alinea. And again, this review was based on one trip to the restaurant where the reviewer didn't even bother to order the Tour de Force. So, I guess we agree . . . the opinions expressed in the review are worth ignoring. =R=

Thanks, rhrad, for the input and welcome the eGS There are strong and credible rumors that Sam's Wines is expanding into Highland Park. I do think Binny's is solid (good pricing, decent inventory) but Sam's will certainly give them a run for their money. My brother has been dealing with the wine buyer at Convito Italiano in Wilmette and he's been able to source some hard-to-find wines through that conduit. Another place I like is the Wine Discount Center (multiple locations). But their name doesn't really do them justice. It really is better than it sounds. =R=