H. du Bois

Just read about them today - must have been in the Times. Will check them out. Do you know the street location?

If you're feeling adventurous try a 1:1 martini at Pegu with their basil infused Bianco and Hendrick's. ← If I were a little younger and a little less wise, I'd probably try every one of them.

What's wrong with a Martini? Actually, this is one of the few bars where you could just ask the bartender to make you "something". Just tell them what you'd like, i.e. whiskey, gin, vodka, etc. Last time I was there I let them ply me with Rye cocktails until the cows came home. Audrey was working on a cocktail which was basically a Martini with a small amount of Scotch in it. I forget what they were naming it, something like the Smoketini. They used a very smoky Scotch, but very sparingly. They've got a great selection of liquor, so have them whip you up something exotic. One of the few bars where I'd order a Ramos Gin Fizz. Er, well, nothing's wrong with a martini! (That's why I like them so). But I don't branch out beyond red wine or vodka martinis very often - I'm a woman who knows what she likes. That being said, I wouldn't mind doing what you suggest - might as well play the field in the drink division every now and then, and it seems, from what you say, that Pegu's the place to do it.

Oooh, I've been there, too! I remembered the experience, but couldn't remember the name of the hotel. Lovely view. Well heck, this isn't even my thread, but I now feel like I can't live till I get to Pegu for a drink. Will have to think up something more rareified than a martini to order. FFB, have a wonderful time with your friends.

Yes, yes! Mr. FB's office is in the same building as the Four Seasons; whenever I walk through the doors, I think of the girls. I miss them. (The door handles are perfect ... and I love 'quickie' lunches at the bar, too.) I wish we had more time! They're in town for just the weekend and a day (the "family function" is a performance at Carnegie Hall -- talk about overachievers! ), and Miss B. (the daughter) really wants a view. I wonder if she won't like the Times Square idea, along the way, with or without Aunt Fabbie as a guide. I'd immediately thought of Pegu Club; I feel like it should be on the list. Perhaps after dinner ... ← You could always drink vodka from a bottle in the back of a cab like Patsy ... Seriously, I like all these suggestions. Never been to Pegu before, though. Is it a mob scene?

The bar at the Four Seasons is a beautiful place to have a drink (isn't that where Patsy and Idina of Absolutely Fabulous went all the way from London to see their perfect door handles?). I also second the Bemelman's bar suggestion - for me, that's classic New York.

I'd suggest Blue Ribbon sushi - really good. Oddly, I've never eaten at Blue Ribbon itself - I've had several people, completely independently, tell me that the food there just isn't worth the price tag. Can't confirm it, but having that same unsolicited sentiment come from a number of independent sources tells me something. Al di La is good (go early, if you ever hope to get a seat!). Drinks at Long Tan are fun. Just wander up Fifth Avenue, see what appeals.

Ate there last night, enjoyed the dinner v. much. Tapas were fine - particularly liked the marinated mushrooms. I had the herb encrusted tuna, which was quite good - perfectly seared. We ordered several desserts & shared - I loved the vanilla foam with cinnamon. No complaints from me.

Pocky almond crush is amazing! My personal favorite of them all.

I had a cobb salad from Starwich, which was delicious. Don't know why I got a salad - meant to get a sandwhich, but I looked at the menu and it just called out my name. Next time I go, I design my own sandwich. And the service was great, BTW. I was a walk-in and took out, and they were very fast and very nice. I do think they're a little pricey - wonderful, but pricey. That might be just me, though - I'm on a tight budget.

Most people I know are curious to go to see what all the hoohah is about, though no one wants to go when there are still lines snaking around the block (shades of the 80's, when lines to see films rivaled the toilet paper queues in Moscow). Me, I've been to a Trader Joe's in California, but I don't remember much about it save that the wine was very cheap (and not so very good). But, from what I've read in this thread, it's worth it just for the prices on the Plugra and Callebaut. I do agree with the poster upthread who pointed out that as New Yorkers, we're far more likely, when not preparing our own food from fresh goods, to order takeout rather than purchase pre-made frozen stuff. Storage space, even in a freezer, is always an issue, and there are wonderful little places on every street corner as you walk by.

Henry, I love, love, love this blog. You have a passion and enthusiasm for life that shines through in all your interests - be they food, friendship, or architecture. It's been a true adventure reading this. I cannot wait to see Seattle and experience myself the world you've introduced me to.

Melanger, good question. I'm genuinely allergic to scallops. When I eat out, I have to order fish in a whole and visually recognizeable state - I cannot risk eating a soup or stew in which there might be an unidentifieable piece of scallop. I cannot eat anything that might be made with a seafood broth which once contained a scallop, so seafood risottos, soups and paellas are out (even if they don't claim scallops as an ingredient on the menu). I've learned how to say, "I can't eat scallops, they make me very ill," in many different languages, and many different countries. It generally gets me past the problem, though there've been a couple of times I've had an allergic reaction when I thought I'd eaten scallop-free. Not fun. I once read, years ago, that a little girl in my neighborhood died after eating chili at a restaurant out of town. What she and her mother didn't know (nor would they have guessed) was that the chili was thickened with peanut butter, to which she was deathly allergic. I guess if I were a chef, I would never consider using seafood or nuts in a dish without clearly labelling it on the menu. And if I were a waitperson, I'd take anyone's claim that they were allergic to something very seriously. That being said, there's an awful lot of fussiness out there hiding behind the guise of allergies. I've seen people claim to have allergies to foods that they merely dislike, and I've witnessed a number of people lately diagnosing themselves with a food allergy, believing it to be the culprit behind their general malaise. The latter strikes me as more a neurosis than a medical condition, but that's just MHO.

I'm allergic to scallops, though not to the rest of the shellfish family that I know of so far - there can be crossover allergies amongst shellfish, so every time I try a new breed, I pray to god that I won't get hit with the horror of an allergic reaction. It isn't pretty. It hasn't killed me yet, but it isn't something I'd wish on my worst enemy. I've been hit with the reaction on a couple of occasions after eating in seafood restaurants when I've specifically ordered dishes without scallops - either what I ate was cooked in the same medium as a scallop, or the waiter or chef didn't take me seriously. And once I ended up in the hospital in the middle of the night after eating Chinese hot & sour soup. Don't know what the hell was in that, but there I went. As far as I understand it, those of us who are allergic to shellfish (or nuts) lack the enzymes that are needed to break down those specific amino acids within one's system. Nut allergies are truly severe - they can kill someone in minutes. I would take anyone who says they have a shellfish or nut allergy very seriously. Hives, uncontrolled vomiting & blocked airways may follow one bite of the offending food. There are those who claim they are allergic when they are merely averse to a foodstuff. I'm averse to raw tomatoes, and avoid them at all costs. It's a true, full-bore, inexplicable aversion - my body totally skeeves when I taste one - but it ain't an allergy. I could, if politeness truly called for it, gag one down (with difficulty) and not suffer any consequences. Yet I could taste the sweet, delectable flesh of a scallop, savor it momentarily, and then suffer a major medical crisis. Go figure.

I can't recommend any wines, but your menu sounds terrific, and the plating looks beautiful! Best wishes for a wonderful party.

I was in England last year, and we had pancakes for Shrove Tuesday - I had never heard of the tradition. My host served them with lemon and sugar, and cooked them straight on the hob of the Aga - way cool! So I looked up an English traditional Ash Wednesday feast, and did the cooking the next day. Cod with lemon butter on parslied carrots, and mashed parsnips on the side. Made a simnel cake for pudding, which went well despite the toasted marzipan balls (which were supposed to represent the apostles) melting into little splats! They rolled up again, thank goodness. No one was the wiser.

Megan, I've been enjoying your blog - as a New Yorker, it's always a pleasure to see someone reveal the city for the wonderful place that it is. And the UES is the neighborhood I frequent least, so it's as informative for me as well! Ellen

Oh, yeah! Gorgeous, gorgeous things. The table of my dreams is also long, wide, thick and beautiful; big enough to hold many friends; sturdy enough to withstand wear and spills; simple and beautiful enough to hold my fine china and crystal, or a peasant meal of wine and bread - and not look out of place doing either. Oddly, every time I've sat at the tables in the main reading room of the NY Public Library, I've coveted them (and their comfy wooden chairs) as a dining table. God, they'd be good.

I'd rather go entirely without than put margarine on something. Or worse yet, imitation margarine (sounds like an oxymoron!) - beloved by my parents, referred to with horror by my sister as "tub of stuff."

Lots of wine is a must: a couple of bottles of red open, the rest held in abeyance, bottles gathered in a plentiful grouping, in view. A friend of mine who was a florist is a genius at doing wonderful centerpieces of unexpected seasonal things - for autumn, small gourds and swirls of ivy scattered down the center of the table with little votive candles here and there. Or a grouping of fresh pots of pansies in baskets at Eastertime. It's old fashioned, but everything looks nicer on white linen. Somehow, it signals that something festive is about to happen. I often cook something I've never done before for a dinner party - maybe I'm reckless. Generally, things turn out very well, although there is the occasional dud. But I rely on good cookbooks - I know from experience that these cookbook authors won't steer me wrong. For starters, I usually have olives or salted nuts, sometimes flatbreads and cheeses. Main courses have tended to be both a meat dish and a vegetable dish that would satisfy a vegetarian (lots of those around). Always a salad afterwards - I love them, winter or summer. It never hurts to have a few things in the mix that you don't have to fuss over cooking - e.g., if you are trying a risotto that involves lots of stirring and attention, for the main course, roast a chicken, which is a relatively fuss-free process. If I want to spend time hanging out with my guests rather than slaving over a hot stove, I'll make something that's heavy on preparation before the guests come, then is safely ensconced in the oven when they arrive. If the host/hostess is relaxed, it makes a difference to the general ambience. Oh, the one thing I've learned the hard way: if you ever make a dinner with individual dishes to a specific guest count (i.e., 8 chocolate mousses, 8 tournedos rossini), you will ALWAYS have someone show up unexpectedly at the last second, and be screwed. Overestimate on the guest count for insurance purposes (you can always eat fabulous leftovers the next day!).

For years I soaked dried mushrooms in water, then threw the water out. Then, a while back, I made a wild mushroom tart from the Silver Palate cookbook which called for soaking the mushrooms in apple brandy, then using the mushroom liquor in the recipe as well. What a difference! Ever since, I've been soaking my dried mushrooms in alcohol, and throwing the flavored liquor into the mix. I've found that fortified wines like marsala, madiera or sherry are wonderful for this purpose. This method packs a flavor punch!

I'm a refrigerator gazer, and I'm a female. I always ascribed it to hoping that, magically, something good would have appeared in there since I last checked it. Oddly so, because I haven't believed in Santa or the tooth fairy in many years. And my teakettle lives on the stove, because I do love tea, a habit acquired long before I started spending time in England. On weekends, I make my morning coffee in a french press cafetiere. Don't people make coffee and tea at home anymore, or is it that they use electric coffeemakers instead?

andiesenji and rjwong, thanks for the feedback.

Russell, could you please let me know how easy or difficult it is to clean your heavy duty anodized aluminum roaster? It seems like it's a good buy in terms of size, durability and conductivity, but I've heard they're tough to clean. I'd rather use elbow grease than spend big bucks on tri-ply for a pan I don't use frequently, though. Thanks!

Agree whole-heartedly that half sheet pans are the way to go for roasting vegetables. But while we're on the topic (which I'm glad came up), if one were to invest in a serious roasting pan (i.e., large roast/turkey sized), what would be the way to go? I'm damned if I'll spend $200 for the All Clad stainless if there are questions about its quality. Don't want nonstick, as I deglaze on the stovetop. The Calphalon classic hard anodized with a v-rack (about $60 at Amazon.com) looks like a possibility, but I've never cooked with hard anodized aluminum before (have read slkinsey's cookware thread, but without personal experience, I don't know just how difficult it is to clean, & whether that would negate the cost savings). Is it worth investing a large sum of money in a roasting pan if it's only used a couple of times a year? Advice would be appreciated.