Simon_S

Boxty does nothing for me, but coddle was a regular staple in my house growing up. Many people are put off by the pink, boiled sausages... Si

You're right, FG, it's certainly not my goal. Expect my presence over in the NY forum shortly...!! Maybe the point I was trying to make is not so relevant in NY. I was really thinking of Raji's post, above, and about what Michelin is trying to be. The comment "It will undoubtedly be a guide that caters to Euro-laden tourists in foreign-friendly areas rather than the adventurous types with adventurous palates" got me thinking. To my mind this, in many ways, is not really a criticism. Like it or not, Michelin *is* a guide for tourists eating in a strange land with, potentially, very different palates and expectations to the locals. I'm not sure that Michelin is or should be catering for the limited few with adventurous palates. The concept of "good food" may be reasonably well-defined when you stay in one tradition, but when attempting to cross cultures things get much more difficult. I don't want to drag this any further off-topic, but should the best dog-meat restaurant in Vietnam get 3 stars? Katz deli in NY is a good example of a restaurant that I will certainly visit, but that I may not enjoy. Personally, I find sandwiches full to bursting to be somewhat stomach-churning. Is this a European thing? Possibly. To push this argument to it's (il?)logical limit, if I then, as a European with different expectations of a sandwich, find the Katz version objectionable, then maybe a guidebook for a European palate should echo my views, not the views of the locals. I'm in murky territory here, and saying things I don't necessarily believe. I think I'll stop. Si

I've watched this thread with interest, since I am quite likely to be a visitor to NY sometime next year. My last visit (6-7 years ago) was very unsuccessful on the food front (in fact, I ate some really poor meals there) and it's not a mistake I intend to make again. Under normal circumstances, when travelling to somewhere I don't know well in Europe, I will use Michelin as a first approximation guide. If I can supplement that with more in-depth knowledge from local forums here, great. In general, getting a picture of the "top-end" is quite easy. For me, 2 or 3 stars says something serious, and whether it's 2 or 3 is almost irrelevant. 9 times out of 10, the stars correlate pretty well with opinion found online, so I can generally figure out where to go for a top meal. The problem arises in the more "day-to-day" stuff. This is where Michelin comes into its own. When I find myself walking around an area I don't know and I hear that stomach grumble, what then? A simple, text-light, symbol-heavy guide is exactly what I'm looking for. Of course, if one has everything planned in advance, maybe it's possible to know where every meal will be eaten. However, a look at the NY board on this forum suggests that it is an absolute minefield for a tourist. I've looked at it for a while, and to be honest, I don't really know where to start. Of course, the people posting on that forum are people who know NY intimately, and could certainly be considered experts on the dining situation there. But it is the nature of such a forum that the posters assume a certain amount of knowledge from other posters. That way, detailed discussions are possible and the minutiae of menus and comparisons in very narrow categories can be examined. That's great, but it's not much use for me, searching as I am for broad-brush-stroke answers. Honestly, for the tourist, I think guides that are too detailed are useless. I need the forest, not the trees. For detailed info, I'll look elsewhere. Final thought: I've seen the viewpoint that Michelin just doesn't "get" NY (or San Fran, or whatever). Maybe so, but as a European going to NY, I'm not convinced I'm going to "get" it either. If my views tally with Michelin as an outsider, then that's pretty useful to me. The fact remains, as a tourist looking for info on mid-level restaurants, there's no one source I trust more than Michelin, and there's no one source that I find more accessible. Si

Indeed. Since I met Corinna there this year, I thought it would be fitting if the 3 of us turned up on the same night next year. Not to worry. I can't argue with the logic of giving places to new diners. It seems only fair. Si

In principle I agree with you, but amongst my peer group (the 20 and 30-somethings) in this country at the very least, there is a growing view that unless you're paying serious bucks, it's the French wines that are crap. Somehow, this is slowly but surely being taken as gospel, and reports of 2005 Bordeaux futures don't help much. Many people aren't even aware that France has some great inexpensive wines which will handily compete with the New World for price, and equal or better it for quality. The "snob value" of French wines is never questioned, it's the quality and price of everyday drinking stuff that needs to be hammered home. I very much enjoyed the above article. Si

...With lots of ice no doubt! I really enjoyed this report Megan! Si

I was just reading this thread when the mail came through from el Bulli saying no for 2007. Oh well, we were ridiculously lucky to get in this year at our first attempt. It just means we'll have to think of some other restaurant trip next year. Good luck to those still in the running!! Si

Interlude? Si

It's rare for *anyone* to go to Limerick by choice. Tourism Ireland will probably be so stunned to hear of willing visitors that they'll set up the scholarship themselves. Si [i jest, I jest. I'm sure Limerick's "Stab City" moniker is ill-deserved... ]

I was thinking earlier today that, as much as I've enjoyed this smackdown, a part of me will be relieved when it's finished, since I'm starting to drive myself mad thinking in Limericks. But then I thought "There's a Limerick in that"... With my brain now resembling marshmallows Quoth my raven, this Eve of All Hallows: “Thirteen anapest feet Weak weak STRONG, that’s the beat.” Nevermore! Send this thread to the gallows!! Si

It was a holiday weekend here in Ireland, which means I haven't seen a computer since Friday afternoon. Mercifully, I've stopped thinking in anapests and feet in the interim! Si

Thankfully no! I wasn't too busy on Friday, and I just got the Limerick bug. You know how it is...! Si

It's funny you should ask this, Karen, because I was wondering the same thing. In my case, I find the subject matter itself to be the most difficult part. Once I have the idea to work with, I can generally move things on from there. To be honest, I keep thinking it's like making sausages. Once I have the meat, I just grind it up with other stuff and keep squeezing and squeezing until it looks the right shape and fits the structure properly. Artistic questions don't come into it!! Incidentally, as regards the Limerick "rules" there was a good link posted before: here it is! This helped me a lot, cos I didn't know the allowable numbers of syllables, etc. I'm not sure if I'm cheating by leaving out place names half the time? They're probably not legal Limericks at all. Still, I'm enjoying myself, and it sure beats workin'! Si [edited for clarity]

Those devils with tongues made of silver They NEVER like eating their fill, for Bites of meat, veg and garnish Simply cause tongue to tarnish It’s a regular tongue that they’d kill for. Si

"Quadrilogie of foies gras". Four simple words to bring joy to the heart! <drool> Si

There’s a man, Luis G, at El Bulli Who decides when the seasons’s booked fully. Mr. G. if you’re able To grant us a table We’ll send you our best Golden Gully! Si

So, inspired by Karen's comment about wine with dinner... A glass of red wine had with dinner Is said to make French people thinner Atkins diet? No, f*** that! Roast your taters in duck fat, Add some salt and you’re onto a winner. For those of a sensitive disposition, I apologise for the colourful language! Si

I think it's because Italian food is not too challenging to eat. You don't hear many people saying "I don't like Italian food" -- it may not be their favourite, but they'll still get on with it. Of course, where I come from "Italian Restaurant" frequently means pasta and pizza and nothing else worth talking about. Si

Megan, I'm really enjoying this. The last (and only) time I was in Prague was 7 years ago, and I don't remember KFC having much market penetration then. Still, at that time I was less interested in food and more interested in finding beer for 25 cents. I must go back and do it properly. Oh, and Happy Birthday!! Si

If a scone is disintegrating, it means you don't have enough strawberry jam and clotted cream slathered on the top of it! Si

Last year I received my (positive) reply on November 28th. Si

Words you don't see every day... Si

I didn't realise ludja got there first with the gullet/red mullet/pullet rhyme. Apologies for that! I was frantically trying to think of some way to get bullet in there, but I pulled a blank. So to speak. Si

This Paddy’s learned much from eGullet: Like “What’s rouget?” Oh, simply red mullet! As an offer of thanks Here’s a class for the Yanks About Guinness and how you should pull it. There’s a rule that you must take to heart: Tilt the glass, pour the draught, but leave part. Please don’t finish the fill Till all’s settled and still, That’s the secret behind the “black art”. Si

Certainly in Ireland, smoking outdoors is fine. The definition of "outdoors" now has fairly strict definitions too! Lavish gazebo-esque structures with roofs, heating, TV screens etc. have been erected as smoking areas, and that's fine as long as the wall area is below some set proportion. The smokers are still being catered for quite admirably in many places. Honestly, though, I could never understand why smoking wasn't banned in serious restaurants. My enjoyment of fine food is curtailed if all I can smell is cigarette smoke. Indeed, the sense of smell is such an important part of the sense of taste, I feel that cigarette smoke and haute cuisine go together like toothpaste and wine. In any case, the smoking ban has been very successful here, despite the hand-wringing that preceded it. After all the talk of how the unique atmosphere of Irish pubs would be ruined, people very quickly realised that the unique atmosphere came from the people, not the smog. Si