NYC Mike

Hi All, I just got a mailer for a $100 discount on a 24 issue subscription to Atlanta Magazine. Anyone get it? They sent a list of their top restaurants for 06' and I've only seen a small handful discussed here so it made me go hmmmmm. Thanks, -Mike

I have a decent sized branch of my family that lives in Torcy just outside of Paris and whenever I see them, here or there and we sit for a meal, no matter how small they always say Bon Appetit. As far as a Lady's wine glass is concerned, I'm with Dave, that is just plain ol good manners. -Mike

While my wife was at school she worked weekends/dinner shift at a top nyc place. Free labor offer=accepted almost everytime.

I could not agree more and I don't think there is another industry in the US that needs union support and protection more than this one. Owners in NYC for example are cleaning up in the millions and do it in part to their underpaying illegals two to an ID and culinary grads alike in the BOH. Oh and Ducasse in NY is a union shop, I don't think its hindered their approach to fine dining at all.

Brooks, I still have family on 181st so Ive sent them a message to remind me of the name. I want to say "Esperanza Bakery" but I still am not sure and google wasn't any help either. If all else fails go to Mambi's on 181st and St Nick/Audobon or 177ish and Bway, Caridad on 184th and B'way or the Mirage on Dyckman and ask them, they all use the same bread. Also, 7-8 AM ish they have an army of trucks, you really can't miss em. When I was growing up Uptown I used to throw the driver a few bucks in the morning for breakfast. Mike

There is a bakery, that makes the best cuban bread in Washington Heights. They supply most of the dominican restaurants in the area with bread. You can see their green trucks all over the area early in the morning! BUT! I can't remember the name right now....I will find it and send it along. They are on St. Nick in the 170s or Audobon. -Mike

Ludja, thanks for all the comments. The Fowler shrimp paste recipe looks like it would taste very different and worth a taste test! This sounds like a great idea. We have done similar with grits and made cakes out of them. These recommendations are most welcome and we will pick them up! Thank you! We are in the process of branching out more and have recently picked up In Pursuit of Flavor by Miss. Lewis, The Lady and Sons Cookbook by Paula Dean (Food TV affiliation aside , I love her hard knocks story and her personality is dynomite)and have been cooking a little out of the Folse Encyclopedia on Cajun and Creole cooking (its very big and a bit intimidating). -Mike

What continues to amaze about this topic and others like it is the lack of EG interest and outrage. If fois gras' ticket gets punched at whole foods it generates 50 pages of venomous outrage (a little exagerated but not really ) on these forums. Is it really just about the food and for a perfectly cooked morsel at Blue Hill or El Bulli or where ever its hot today we on EG are willing to look past the industry's dirty little secrets? I don't have any answers as to how to fix it or where even to start but I imagine this collective group is probably one of the better ones to make the attempt.

That sounds really good!! I will try it with the leftovers. -Mike

Lemon or Orange Olive Oil cake. The recipe we use in Molto Mario. -Mike

Mike, I'll point out that your experience may be skewed by your location. ← I imagine so in Alpharetta. I can't throw a rock and not hit a Chili's type chain. Part of me says there is a sick opportunity up here for quality home grown food businesses similar to the crop of independent bagel stores cropping up and thriving next to every starbucks. Gourmet grocery, cheese mongers, small plates, ex. lg plates, fine dining, experimental dining any type of food. If I was rich man yadadadadadum....

We did a little plates dinner this weekend out of The Joy of book. It was a combination of what was advertisted as "old standard" recipes and some inspiration from Brook's recent posts on Watershed and Salmon. We continue to be amazed at effect the history of the food culture has on us as we learn and enjoy it. We are having a ball as a family trying to put the dishes in historical context and talking about the stories we have read, including the ones you have all shared. So, we are learning new things, have a ton of fun and doing it as a family....what more could you ask for!? The plate pic needs serious modification, I will try and post tonight if I can get it looking at least decent. Some of the food I'll describe below just ain't photogenic. Beni Wafers: These were great and after this meal they were put many different uses. I think next time we will roll them out a little bit thiner, we got them to around a 1/4 inch thick on our first batch. Peice of cake to make, we will be keeping a batch on hand for a while. Pimenocheese: The kids really liked this in the little tea sandwich form my wife made for them, especially the 3 yr old. I thought it tasted good, its like instant cheese sandwich, but I'll reserve the room in my stomach for something else. I kept wanting to melt it on something. Shrimp Paste: WOW! This might be my favorite recipe out of the book so far! The first taste while it was still warm lit me up. My wife and I kept looking at each other while we were preparing it like we were crazy. I mean, 1 month prior we would have never thought of grinding up good eating shrimp that way. But, in the name of research we followed through. I've eaten it a half dozen ways since then, I can't get enough of it! For our meal I spread it on the Beni Wafers and stirred a bit of it into my grits. Salmon Cakes: We all like fish cakes so this was an easy thing to get the kids to eat but never with salmon. As I've said before in NY growing up salmon was something you put on a bagel with cream cheese. We tried to be true to some of the stories you've shared and bought the pink can of salmon to use. Next time I think we will use fresh salmon. Washed it all down with fresh lemonaide for the kids and sweet tea for me. I think its more than great food and that is what is so easy to love about it. It is so unpretentous and pure and important. It was the original "farm to table" way of eating long before corporate America figured out a way to make that way insanely profitable. Each month the children have to do a book report for school. February's report is on a famous, important or historical African American in support of Black History Month. So over this meal we discussed with my daughter who she might choose. She would love to do Dr. King but as she said "everyone will do that one". How about Will Smith (we use Will Smith a great deal as a model since teen culture is so focused on bling bling, foul mouthed rappers and negative sterotypes, we love that he refuses to bend to that), no she says "movies aren't important enough". Medgar Evers, no. Fredrick Douglas, no. She has decided to do Edna Lewis and when asked why she is important enough her reply was "even after she is gone Miss Lewis' work is important in preserving the culture of the south, and that is proven by all we have learned by cooking from her books. -Mike

Having only been here 7 mths this has been a greatest surprise for us. We have read articles that point out (with great pride) that Atlanta area residents eat out by some huge percentage more than other Americans. Then, on the other hand, dining seems almost completly dominated by chains and corporations. It makes me go .

Could someone point me to a book or blog that will give me the absolute 1st timer starter basics? Basic entry level supplies, gear and step by step how to? We have never canned but want to start. We are thinking pickles, jams, relishes and preserves, maybe even tomatoes for gravy and have lots of recipes to try from our growing "southern" cookbook collection. -Mike

My wife is from the other side of the island and so we are clueless on what might be special and noteworthy in the Punta Cana resort area. We would like to go off the resort for drinks, dancing and especially food. Resort food is generally good american food. Anyone been recently? -Mike

Hey Guys, Thanks so much. That SE Cutlery is really VERY close to where we live, its on the same route we use to get to DFM so I'm gonna add a stop there our next trip. I am about 2 min away from the Medlock Bridge/McGinnis Ferry intersection. Lunch sounds good! -Mike

I was looking for an excuse to have greens again. Someone on another thread said that the texture of doves reminded them of liver so thats what we had. Calf liver with peppers and onions, grits, greens and cornbread. Of course we loved it. -Mike

Why isn't there more outrage or public outcry regarding BOH sub standard living wages? At the rate some of these kids are getting paid it will take 10 years to pay for culinary school. Forget about the joys of home ownership or even living alone.

Hi All, We had all the knives sharpened before we moved down in July but its time for another trip to the shapener. The steel dosen't have that same refreshing effect it should. Any ideas? We would go in-town if we had to but would love to stay near John's Creek/Alpharetta area. Thanks, -Mike

Oh mama that looks so good GG! -Mike

Would someone care to recommend a canned brand? I'm not really a salmon fan, growing up in NYC its biggest showing is lox on bagels and I personally think adding lox is a waste of a good bagel. But, The Joy of has a recipe for them and the book hasn't let me down yet. I think we will try them this weekend. What great stories to think about while making them. What romanticism!! -Mike

Elie, Amazing looking soup! By looking at it you can't tell there is buttermilk in it, was the addition noticable in texture or just flavor? -mike edited to add: Elie, I am always amazed when I read your posts, almost all things are homemade in some shape or form. I want to be like you when I grow up!

There are a bunch we use regularly with great success. The Gift of Southern Cooking by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock In Pursuit of Flavor by Edna Lewis The Gourmet Cookbook Rick Bayless' Mexican Kitchen The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking Marcella Hazan Cooking the Roman Way by David Downie Naples at Table by Arthur Schwartz As a new and novice collector (50 odd books collected in the past 12 months) let me say WOW JasonZ it sounds like you have a wonderful and enviable collection!

A touch of vinegar does wonderful things for greens. In the South, we love pepper vinegar on our greens. With greens that are a bit bitter, a little sweetness will help balance that. Balsamic, with its sweet flavor, will really enhance your greens. ← There is a recipe for hot pepper vinegar in "The Gift of Southern Cooking" that I think we will make this weekend. When we had ours the other night I salted them and added a little seasoning salt and my wife who likes all things hotter than me put some pepper flakes. -mike

What an awesome idea!