M.X.Hassett

Damn, I just googled calcium oxalate crystals and I hold no adanced degree in chemistry, but if someone does there is a lot of info out there. From what I can gather there are two types Whewellites and Weddelites from ( http://www.agora.crosemont.qc.ca/urinesedi...eng/doc_025.htm ) Back to the topic, pineapple does not bother me cooked or uncooked.

From Steingarten's book: "In some plants, such as taro, the oxalic acid combines with calcium to form calcium oxalate, which sometimes take the form of raphides-long, needlelike, microscopic crystals that can easily pierce our mucous membranees........In short uncooked taro leaves are little more than hideous, microscpic, poison-creation-and-delivery systems."

Among other vegetables, oxalic acid is present in spinach and -- in large quantities -- taro and taro leaves (which is why spinach-like taro leaves need to be cooked for a l-o-o-o-n-g time before being edible). Some people also get urinary tract irritations from eating foods high in oxalic acid. ← I don not have it on hand but in Jeffrey Steingarten's "It Must Have Been Something I Ate" there is an interesting chapter on having a reaction to undercooked taro on an airline. From what I recall it went into detail about oxalic acid and food.

tb86 I have not eaten there but I intend to now, I look forward to trying your pastrys and desserts quite a resume you have.

Glenn there was some talk of: "Effective immediately, we will be liquidating our inventory and many items will be marked down considerably. Call it an extremely going out of business sale, if you will. In addition to menu items, bulk food items and paper goods will be available at greatly discounted prices. First come first served. Any and all inquiries welcomed." Could you elaborate?

Andy's is great they probably also have an additional 20 bottled choices as well, they will aslo sell you a growler of anything on tap or cask. If you go there often you can join there beer club, you make a list of the different beers you have had there over the course of the year and as you reach different levels you get a hat, t-shirt, glass, etc. The 100 beer reward is dinner with the owners I think. Back to the topic I am drinking a Hoegaarden right now.

Have you ever tryed infusing the gin with tea ala Audrey Sander's Earl Grey MarTEAni scan down a little ways for the recipe and infusing instructions. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...WIGI2FAHI81.DTL

Best of both worlds http://www.infrared-usa.com/Product.aspx?P...CategoryID=1746

If you like vodka stop reading now. A number of people I know are of the Cosmo V. Cran. school, and I have been working on converting them. The reason a number of these people drink vodka is that they still have highschool memporys of rotgut: gin, rye, rum, etc... So help me out what are some good "starter" drinks for novice cocktail drinkers. (Gin-Gin Mule, Dark and Stormy, 1:1 martinis, Red Snappers, Ramos Fizz's, and a few royals and fizzes that I came up with work pretty well) I am going to try the Income Tax Cocktail that Erik(eje) pointed out on the drinks thread, Basically a perfect martini with the addition of OJ.

Just whipped one(ITC) up with Rittenhouse and as Larry David would say "pretty good......pretty pretty good" On the Swizzle thread there is some interesting talk about geography and drink names

I am not a pro, but you might want to check out some of the places along the bowery.

mmmm, very tasty just made one.

Erik that looks like a perfect martini with the addition of oj.

Tommy you have to check out Prime butcher shop in Fort Lee on main before leonia. They sell 21day or more house dry aged cuts they also carry Wagyu, cheeses, and some dry goods.

There are still a number of places in NYC mostly in Brooklyn that you can still get away with having a smoke. Most nightclubs (at least a year ago) allowed smoking in certain areas

Sorry I missed all of you last night. My new favorite of the menu is the Little Italy the luxardo cherries rock.

These threads might help NJ Wine (Teaneck) http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=76982&hl=wine Wine Library http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=8577&hl=wine

Yeh this place is great, nice selection of spirits also. I found it after walking off a meal at Bennies. I would also second Wine library.

Three cheers for repeal. I recall that whiskey and brandy fell off for a little while after the repeal due to not having an "aged" supply.

Bingo Edit: thanks for bringing the LH soup up I just checked the chest freezer and have a few frozen quarts. One of which is thawing as I type

Very funny. They happen to be one of my goto sources for wine and spirits.

If it is the one from the LH cookbook I can PM it to you if you would like. I do recall a few of his recipes being posted around the time his book was coming out but I can not find them anywhere.

This is another great thread http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=58505

eGci Poaching eggs: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=36989 Q&A http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=36988

Great report doc. Made my night.