Steve Klc

Robert--it's linked to in the first post. Maybe Jinmyo threw you off by not using clickety or clickie moi.

Yvonne--I was thinking along the same lines as you--why would the downstairs bread bar of Tabla be disqualified? Could it be the authenticity quorum of sufficiently disheveled immigrants had not ever been reached? He included Republic, didn't he, albeit with a sufficiently dismissive ranking? Nothing too authentic about that place except a slick industrial modernist decor scheme. I guess he gets away with it by describing the list of 100 as both his "Best and Cheapest" and his "favorite inexpensive." Well, which is it and what does that mean anyway? They're not necessarily equivalent. I don't know why but I was drawn to this distinction more than trying to define "Asian."

I have to say I'm with Robert on this one--help show us the way Holly. I'm also interested if you are aware whether higher end Philly restaurants outsource, buying bread from their local bread artisans. As justly celebrated as a few of Washington DC's breadbakers have been--and we have had excellent bread for a decade ever since Furstenburg opened that first Marvelous Market store on Connecticut Ave--it has almost always paled alongside the artisinal NY bread scene. Now we seem to be undergoing another stage in bread evolution--a kind of backlash--with the more commercial imitations outpacing the artisinal product.

I'd love a sample Marc, but I can e-mail Juan directly. I do appreciate your attentiveness, though! I ask about the other chefs because in my experience, the truly new ideas and techniques spread like wildfire within Spain--chefs there are very attuned to what everyone else is doing.

No need to apologize chefette, we seem to agree on this.

Stellab--I think one of the themes that comes through from reading Suvir is that there is a wealth of joy to be derived from Indian desserts, flavors and concepts--but only if you make them yourself at home. Satisfaction in this area is virtually unobtainable here in the States otherwise. Suvir and I are planning a visit to Mantra in Boston soon and we will report back as far as their treatment. I'm with you as far as the mystery and potential that coconut, cardamom and other "Asian" flavors possess. My favorite dessert from that Indian restaurant consulting project of mine in NYC was the coconut milk panna cotta, served in a beautiful crystal candle votive, hiding a ball of rice cooked in coconut milk and coconut water with the merest hint of cardamom, covered with a thin layer of Inniskillin icewine gelee and a tiny brunoise of asian pear. It wasn't Indian, it wasn't French, but it was elegant and that combination spoke to me, following the spicy, assertive Indian cuisine well. At the time, I never tried it with "sticky rice" but just might do something creamy with sticky rice in the near future, so I'll try to report back to you. And I think you've also hit on the truest way to evaluate and assess Asian desserts--in the context of an Asian meal. You could evaluate things in isolation--but the more valid critique is to assesses how a dessert fits in relation to the meal and cuisine which preceded it--whether that be Asian, French, authentic or supposed "fusion."

Marc, Francesco or others--I'm still interested in any information members may have of other Spanish chefs recognizing the value of MICRI and employing it in some of their dishes? Adria? Berasategui? Santamaria? Arzak?

Hi Katee--we talked about Jeanne's great article here if you want to weigh in: http://forums.egullet.org/ikonboa....;t=6448

Here's my advice: don't do it unless you're fairly adept at pastry/baking stuff. Are you? Croquembouches are hard. Have you cooked sugar to caramel without crystallization? Have you ever done choux before--and can pipe and bake off pate a choux balls to uniform size--meaning you can pipe with a bag? When you burn your fingers in the hot caramel dipping the choux ball in will you be able to resist the instinct to touch your hand to your mouth? Practice doing each of these first--and dipping some dry, unfilled choux balls into the caramel and setting aside--and then consider the croquembouche. There is a skill in glazing these with caramel and you have to do it by hand, not that bogus sticking them on a knife or fork and then dipping--because that way will not work--they'll fall off, they're already getting soft and squishy, and the caramel cools off quicker than you expect. And separate this from the decor part of the cake--don't mess with the wispy caramel threads until later. If you saw the Martha/Julia croquembouche tv special a few years back--the profiteroles should be smaller to be more elegant--and to be truer to the form. You could do a croquembouche with tennis ball-sized balls but then you'd be doing something similar to but not really a croquembouche. You'd just be doing a pile of doughy stuff with pastry cream and caramel sugar. So ask yourself--do you really want to do a croquembouche or something that resembles a croquembouche? If the former, do the practice steps and stages I recommended and then you'll know what I mean when I add to chefette's comments by saying: 1) make sure you dry your wet dough ball out first--still in the pan stirring with a wooden spoon; 2) and then bake your dough, drying it out a little longer in the oven to get rid of any excess moisture; 3) you'll probably have to rewarm your caramel as it will cool off, or cook another caramel or do what pros do and cook alot of caramel and pour it out to cool. Then they break up shards and rewarm as needed--which keeps all your caramel "glue" relatively the same color. Don't be afraid to do alot of caramel--it will cool off more slowly allowing you to work longer and more efficiently. An inelegant croquembouche has caramel glues all different shades so one section will be blond, one amber, and much dark or burnt as the pot keeps getting darker. It could be fun doing your croquembouche by hand without buying a stainless steel cone--for one thing it teaches you hand/eye coordination and sensitivity for your ingredients, how food is alive and creation is fragile and sensitive to your environment. Sugar cools or reacts to humidity and you have to adjust for it. It would teach you respect for the pros that can do a croquembouche well by hand without a mold (my preferred way) and the precision and skill it takes. Plus, I like to see a clean caramel coat on the outside of all the choux buns without any oil sticking to it. Imagine the confidence and sense of satisfaction you will have if you hold yourself to high standards and try to do this with a plan, to practice a bit and solve problems along the way and then combine all your individual little successes into an elegant composite whole which is the croquembouche? Chefette is also right in that you cannot do this ahead--it cannot hold long--and you better get started--once it gets humid it will be a nightmare unless you can work in a very air-conditioned, dry environment. I'd recommend you glaze each choux ball top in caramel first, then when they are all done dip again on one or two sides and build your cone one ball at a time. And if you are prepared to practice--you can practice all this with unfilled choux balls--and take your sweet old time and have fun gluing one together in the privacy of your own home to see what you're up against. Report back here and we'll all admire your progress and help you over the rough spots, should there be any. An easy French decoration is to glue candied, colored almonds in and around the cake. Also pretty accessible and traditional is royal icing. The spun sugar thing is nice but you have a long way to go before you need to try that. If you can do a croquembouche--guess what? You can also do a disk or base of nougatine, but we'll cross that bridge when and if you are ready. (And if you can do nougatine, you can temper chocolate and...it never ends.) It's normal to want to jump ahead to the decor but what comes before is much more important. My wife just commented that there are really two approaches to this--one is just to try it, learn, and then try to do it again--only better. My approach is slightly different--but not meant to be grumpy or off-putting. Both of us want you to give it a try--nothing ventured, nothing gained--and very good results are within your reach.

Here's something Suvir and I exchanged a few months ago but applies equally here: I'm first up: "In my limited experience I have seen talented Indian chefs and kitchen workers terribly mistreated and taken advantage of--underpaid, not paid, salary held in arrears for weeks or months in a modern form of indentured servitude, tax and benefits neither with-held nor reported, overworked by working a full day shift, followed by an hour or two nap on site and then having to put in a full night, all made possible by the ability of an owner to hold superior education, visa or sponsorship issues over the heads of the employees--and that says nothing of the way illegal rather than sponsored immigrants are treated. From talking to many of these kitchen workers and waiters in New York, this seems not only to be par for the course but endemic across all price points. All of this affects how kitchen teams function and has a negative impact on the product served. Often, much more emphasis is spent on the front of the house at the expense of the back of the house--where one would think the highest quality ingredients, fruits, fragrant spices, delicate teas and proper staffing exists. Instead, mediocre ingredients are delivered from less-than reputable sources--and certainly not from the same suppliers of the city's finest restaurants. Balances accrue with one vendor--then you'll be cut off--and have to find another vendor willing to sell to you--and on a cash-only basis rather than credit. I wonder if it is this lack of professionalism that holds Indian cooking back from truly being perceived as properly "haute?" Suvir then weighed in with: "Steve, you cannot be more accurate in observing that Indian restaurants will not be truly "Haute" until they get their entire act more democratic and consistent. There are visible and demoralising standards of employment related issues that these restaurants must address. But that is also the case for most ethnic restaurants. With many illegal immigrants working in the trade, they are willing to be abused in some ways, and that gives these owners and managers a sense of belief that their unacceptable ways are acceptable. Also your comment about a full day shift.. not just one meal service is accurate and common through many restaurants that serve Indian food. The ones with 2 stars and celebrity chefs associated with them and also the no-star holes in the walls. The poor treatment of staff is endemic to all."

Yes, thank you as well--you followed up perfectly Suvir. Mao--were it to be the case, wouldn't you prefer such anger or defense to be offerred openly and honestly? Say what you want about eGullet--our strength is that there is no reason for all sides of an issue not to get aired fairly and publicly--we engage, argue and reason--even when those issues might involve a moderator! (That, or we're very tolerant of punctuation and grammar.) I've posed several followup questions to mikemkie about the evolution of Tamarind and sincerely hope he returns.

Because it is the least Indian?

Suvir, this is perhaps in a handful of my favorite posts on the entire site. Thank you for your thoughtful, searching reflection. It is difficult sometimes to see things across boundaries and cultural divides--yet you have done so. Your clarity and assessment reaches beyond the Indian cuisine you are so personally involved with. Until restaurateurs realize that the back of the house is every bit as important as the front of the house, that staff are their most important resource and that customers can tell the difference--no one will be shown the respect that they deserve. This applies equally to Guja, Banjara, Tamarind and a host of other restaurants mentioned in this thread--and quite a few not mentioned. I am convinced it is no accident that Tabla, the least Indian, is the most enduring and successful.

I'd still like someone to show me where Northeast is sometime or a worthwhile reason to go there.

Where's Northeast DC? I'm sure it's somewhere around here...

Mikemkie--I'm interested to know if you feel Tamarind has evolved or changed at all since it opened? Has the food and service, in your opinion, remained constant and at a high level from day one until today? Did you have any meals there that were at all inconsistent? The reason I ask is that I've long admired Raji Jallepalli and wonder how a restaurant--any restaurant--could overcome the loss of such a talent without missing any beats? I wonder, too, if you were at the Beard awards this past Monday and could share what you thought of the dish--a "dessert" I believe--that the Tamarind chef offered?

Don't forget Dorie Greenspan's version of Pierre Herme's "Strawberry Rhubarb Soup" on p. 52 of Desserts by Pierre Herme--which utilizes an interesting poaching technique: rhubarb in a plastic bag filled with strawberry juice and a bit of sugar, gently simmered in water for about 20 minutes. They add a scoop of strawberry ice cream and some whipped cream or creme fraiche to the dish--but you could do a fat-free sorbet of yogurt or fromage blanc (my preference with this type of soup) and be completely fat-free. Of course, fat is good and one of the reasons why desserts can be so complex and fulfilling. But both the yogurt and fromage blanc are very good alternatives nonetheless.

There is something to be said for a chef who actually is in his kitchen--and answers the phone no less. It's a testament to Peter's seriousness and professionalism that he came through for you and Adam. Now malawry, if only you had asked for scrapple!

Shaun--did you ever have time to watch this television show and, if so, were there any moments of the show that you especially appreciated? I recall one involving the cheese police and Gareth's pursuit of some illegal cheeses...and another involving Chef Roux dining at the restaurant and Gareth's fear of having to select dishes for the chef. Even if you haven't seen the show, perhaps you could share with us your feelings toward cheese, those produced within England--and what effect you feel the EU has had on the production and distribution of quality cheeses across borders? Also, have you ever had similar trepidation about cooking for another chef or mentor?

A larger point, then--do you think it is incumbent upon the editors and writers involved to get good advice from knowledgeable sources before embarking on such a project? Is this where you feel let down by the Times and does this choice possibly speak as much or more to the treatment of Indian cuisine and culture? I'm immediately thinking of Amanda Hesser's recent articles on Spain--which I have devoured and admired greatly. But those articles clearly wouldn't have been possible without her seeking out and listening to good advice. Could Spain have the buzz and India be seen as past its moment?

What a clean, elegant, striking image Jinmyo--credit to the Times for including it online--and of course to you for noticing it. A little effort at presentation goes a long way. And I'm a sucker for colorful things in clear glass.

How did they do? Here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/05/travel/05TAB.html

Hi pastryjen--yes, you can technically put a rolled fondant covered cake tier back in the fridge. Cover it with plastic wrap, when you remove it from the fridge, allow it to thaw to room temp with the plastic wrap on--whatever moisture condenses will condense on the plastic. This is more of an issue in humid environments at certain times of the year. But your instincts are right about rolled fondant--it contains sugar and any sugar product wouldn't do well in the fridge uncovered. (For non-bakers and home decorators--rolled fondant is a type of malleable, soft cake covering or "icing" that is rolled out thinly like pie dough, draped over a cake and smoothed out to leave a very refined, elegant surface.) Another way to approach this question is to ask why do you want to put the cake back in the fridge in the first place? You could design a cake and filling that doesn't need to be in the fridge--or design it in such a way that your decoration can be removeable and placed on later rather than requiring hours and days of piping on the actual cake. Choose ganaches, buttercreams, gelees, even acidic curds can sit out a long time. Depending on your level of skill, it usually isn't a problem covering your cake tiers with rolled fondant on the morning of the event. The day before, make sure all tiers are built and closed with buttercream and let them sit overnight in the fridge. There have been times when I've covered cakes the last thing the night before and left them out it in a cool or air conditioned room. Personally, I'd avoid messing with the fridge unless you absolutely have to for food safety reasons--like if you have a "creme brulee" type filling in the cake. In that case it needs to stay in the fridge until the last possible moment. Delivery is the more serious issue. It's sustained high-stress--as stressful as working on any line during crunch time. It's one of little things pros never teach or talk about or put in their books--because, well, then anyone could do it, right? There's no substitute for experience in developing confidence and this is one of the best reasons for hiring a large cake specialist. Are you worried about how to deliver--i.e. drive a 6-tier cake? It shouldn't be any different than a smaller 3-tiered cake--it just is heavier and you'd need help--i.e. extra bodies and hands--if you try to deliver it in one piece, whole. Either that, or you design a cake which can be assembled on site--meaning bring the 6 individual tiers covered in rf and then build it with dowel rods there, including piping your royal icing shell or bead borders there, put the decor on there, etc. Obviously, transporting something like this is even more complicated in warm/hot weather. Another option is to design a separated tier cake where each tier is on its own base--with dowel rods extending an inch above each tier--and then stacked on site. In this case it's pretty easy to put each tier in its own insulated box even with a little gel pack if necessary. Give me some more specifics about what you've committed to do for your client, how far you have to drive, if the reception is in or outdoors and what else you're concerned about specifically and I'll talk you through it so you don't take an unnecessary risk. Is some of this beyond your level--do you need me to go over how to roll out fondant? Have you done it before?

I sense Plotnicki and Mao are spot-on with their deconstruction of the reviewer in this case--Robert Sietsema. Spend any amount of time exploring his canon--and all credit is due to the Village Voice for maintaining Sietsema's reviews online--and a few things become clear: He can be a deft writer and is very comfortable waxing poetic about the inherent or implied intricacies, mystery and sophistication of rustic, cheap, ethnic foods. While he loves floating foreign culinary jargon around as often as Pierre Herme sprinkles fleur de sel on desserts, there's little in his online record to inspire or lend credibility outside of his mucking on and on about generous, cheap portions of ethnic yet noble cuisines. He seems the classic "Cheap Eats" guy--perhaps the model for all sorts of alternative, free City Papers around the country or a mantra for at least one other food discussion site I'm aware of--with a palpable relativist attitude, a barely disguised social disdain and that's about it. I'd no sooner trust his Sugiyama recommendation as I would any restaurant he chose to review with entrees over about 10 bucks. I'm sure he's a reliable go-to-guy for the low-end, from tacos to tapas, as long as neither are prepared by any known chef. I searched for one column which mentioned wine and couldn't recall one. Wine with food? What a concept! Bux, when you surmise "it's easy to find yourself in a niche where you are an expert in a small area and through years of communicating with those in that area, you find yourself out of touch with, and unappreciative of, even bordering interests" I think you are onto something, but being generous. I'd go farther--based on the available website reviews: this Sietsema (unlike Tom) has a faux world-view: small-minded, anti-chef, anti-pastry chef, anti-West and anti-fine-dining. If he is not already a self-parody or caricature, he at least risks continued marginalization on the fringe in such a way as to ensure irrelevance when his readers grow up or wise up. Come on, how often can you read some variation of "Though the (insert flowery adjective here) orbs of finely minced mystery meat are certainly of (insert obscure foreign country here) origin, the (foreign-sounding name) rolls ($1 or less) reminded me of (insert familiar, refined European country here) pasties. The rich, perfumed filling of (fill in seemingly weird combination of ingredients, revealing a great culinary mind at work. Note to editor: weird is ok because the dish is cheap; if it were Sugiyama or, pardon me for stooping to toilet humor, "haute cuisine"--weird would be bad) is then dotted with (some exotic sounding spice or herb) and the (blah) wrapper is further dipped in (more blah blah) before frying for added crunch" and not grow tired or bored?

I found this interesting: http://www.ryerson.ca/rrj....to.html