[Lamb Loin Chops are in the fridge. What should I do with them or know?]

Great ideas. Sadly no grill here in Brooklyn. I guess I could broil.

[Lamb Loin Chops are in the fridge. What should I do with them or know?]

I've cooked shoulder chops which I'm not too keen on and your regular lamb rib chops, but loin chops are new to me. Help.

[8 Foods You Must Eat Organic]

andiesenji,

That is terrible what happened to you, thanks for sharing it. I'm so glad you're ok. There are chef's who don't believe in allergies and will spike foods with the ingredient a customer has said they can't eat. I know that happened once with one of my brothers.

This is disturbing reading. A chef brags about poisoning his guests.

http://glutenfreeworks.com/blog/2011/03/30/chef-damian-cardone-brags-about-feeding-gluten-free-patrons-high-gluten-pasta/

Yes Alcuin,

Back to the subject. I wouldn't think much about drinking organic wine unless I had a reaction.

[8 Foods You Must Eat Organic]

andiesenji, Thank you for your post. I really appreciate it. Very interesting reading, especially about the cropdusting drift.

It is so insulting to have allergies and have people be dismissive. My brother has ended up in an ER twice for his seafood allergy. He can't eat out anymore. If the food he eats is prepared anywhere near seafood it affects him. Another brother can't eat raw apples or carrots.

annabelle, Here is what I said.

"serious and scary allergic reactions to certain fruits and most berries"

I used the term allergic, not sensitive. What part of the word "scary" do you not understand? How about a little more empathy and a little less internet trolling?

[8 Foods You Must Eat Organic]

"helping you with what you perceive to be allergies"

Are you kidding me? My lips swelled up and my throat closed. Is that fact or merely my perception? It doesn't happen with organic fruits.

[8 Foods You Must Eat Organic]

Approximately 3 years ago I began having serious and scary allergic reactions to certain fruits and most berries. My doctor said to try organic and now I can eat most of them again. I assume a new type of pesticide was introduced that I'm sensitive to. It's lovely to be able to eat berries again. Some of these comments poo pooing organic are pretty ignorant.

Organic is not meaningless to me.

["Inner Beauty" knockoff discussion thread]

I love it on fried plantains. Wait until they are mostly black, peel, slice on an angle and shallow fry in 1/2--1 inch of veg oil. When one side is brown flip and fry the other. Hit them with fresh lime juice, kosher salt and your Beauty.

Thanks for reviving the thread. It is time I made a batch.

[Praise for non-stick foil]

It is indispensable for honey or maple coated chicken wings. On reg. foil you lose half the sticky goodness.

[Where can I buy habanero chilis in NYC?]

Fresh Direct, and while your at it you should order some Serrano. Peppers freeze really well.

[Ground Beef Tacos]

OMG those hard shell tacos are exactly how I remembered them. Fantastic and fun. Odd, most childhood foods really don't hold up.

Boyfriend had never had them before and he said he wanted them once a week. I did use great meat, cheese and salsa. I also had a mango salsa I made and maybe 5 kinds of hot sauce along with refried beans, so it was nothing like what I grew up with. Tasteless cheese, tasteless tomato and iceberg lettuce.

I'm considering braising some chicken thighs for more tacos this week.

[The Demise of Online Food Forums]

I'll admit it, I don't have the time right now read all the posts here. I might be saying things said by others.

I'm only posting because I like eGullet and I don't see why it doesn't try to engage with food bloggers.

I went to a Chinese New Years Food Bloggers Potluck event with 30 of New York's most awesome and lovely food bloggers. I was the only one on eGullet. One of them said, "Oh they're still around?".

If you guys need help with blogger outreach let me know. It's silly that they aren't all on here with us. I told them about some topic and how many people were posting and they seemed excited.

There is an issue with you pissing them off if they post a link. You scolded me twice and I took it because I'm a grownup and I've been here since what '06? If you do that to a blogger in their 20's you'll never see them again. We are living in an open source generation. The rules are different now. They are used to things being simple and sharing data.

Grace

[Foods that cool you down]

First off I'm in NY too and can not imagine your pain right now with no AC. Poor you!! This humidity/heat is killing me.

How about quesadillas? They can be made so quickly in a hot pan and served with cooling red salsas, pico de gallo, mango salsa, sour cream and cold quickly marinated onions. Oh, and cold raw tomatillos are very refreshing. Rick Bayless has a very nice version using them here that I've made before.

[That's not mine! The wrong order – AGAIN]

ARggh andiesenji, I am infuriated for you!

I've noticed when I dine with men and we order the same thing that whichever portion is larger the guy gets it. I have a *ahem* healthy appetite. It's so annoying.

[Most bizarre ways to ask "How is everything?"]

I'm a fan of eye contact. Check out my table every now and then and glance at me.

I appreciate a simple, "How is everything?" as long as it doesn't feel like you want me to say FINE.

[When will restaurants understand that their websites suck?]

Welcome to my next blog post. I wish restauranteurs would keep in mind that their website is not a vanity project. People are coming to it for information. Where are you, do I want to eat your food, what is the price range and what is the atmosphere like?

Things you have to have on your restaurant's front page:

Most important!

Your full address and maybe a google map

Your phone number and email

Your hours of operation and when you stop serving delivery if you do deliver

Secondary

Links to the menu and NOT PDF!!!! That is annoying. We just want to know what's on the menu. PDFs slow us down. I want to LOOK at what you serve, not download it.

Link to photos. We like to see what your place looks like and what the food looks like.

Press is always nice and quoting other online reviews from blogger or yelpers you like.

An About Page for the owners and chef is always good

What we do not want!

Do not. I repeat do not, have music play automatically. Anyone in an office who is thinking of eating at your place will hate you.

Flash opening page. I don't care if it is cool as shit. NO!

Let me repeat no to PDF menus. I don't want to download your menu.

No dancing gifs. Not cute.

Old menus from last year.

And finally, choose 2 fonts until you hire a real designer. That's it, just 2 and no Comic Sans. It's more professional.

Feel free to add to this list. Or link to really great or really terrible examples. Really it's like designing a restaurant, don't you want to give the user the best experience possible and have choices make sense?

Grace

[Rhubarb Tops]

Sorry, but I thought this was a joke question. Unless we have some of our lovely chemists chime in, you could make yourself quite ill. It sounds like this is a chemical that may be more sensitive to some people than others.

If you do eat them, report back!

[Ground Beef Tacos]

Chris Hennes, I blame you! For nostalgia's sake I picked up a box of Old El Paso hard taco kit. After all this talk I have to see how it holds up.

Let the grief giving commence.

Do I get points for using amazing Pat LaFrieda ground beef?

Grace

[Fish Sticks]

I used to love fish sticks as a kid.

So are we battering and frying or dredging in egg and panko and baking?

Dipping sauces? I'm more a purist and like mayo mixed with some good chopped dill pickle.

Types of fish?

Edited to add:

I'm actually considering mincing it.

[Ground Beef Tacos]

I loved those taco kits! Great memories there.

Here's a taco seasoning mix I make in quantity to just keep in the pantry. I think it is pretty important to toast the cumin and grind it yourself.

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon paprika

My one tip and some may be horrified, I never drain the grease.

Might be a fun investment? http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-1061-Taco-Press/dp/B00004UE8A

[Tod Mun Goong (Thai shrimp cakes)]

It was fantastic!!!!! I worked off of maybe 4 recipes I found on Thai websites and came up with the following. I think the Panko coating really elevated the dish. Very crunchy outside with soft salmon and crunchy cilantro stems and vidalia onion. I'm definitely making this for the next party I have and making them appetizer size.

I tossed 1lb of salmon in the blender along with:

• 2 Tbsp Fish sauce
  
• 1 Egg
  
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
  
• lots of ground black pepper
  
• 1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp Green Thai curry paste
  

Chopped it to a puree, then realized I had to fish the skins out. What's lovely is the skin stayed in whole pieces and the meat had been removed. Kind of amazing.

I added the fish mixture to a bowl and folded in:

• a good handful of cilantro, with stems because we like them
  
• about 1/4 cup of minced vidalia onion
  

I chilled it for an hour and dredged 1/4-1/2 inch patties in Panko crumbs.

Shallow fried in shallow peanut oil for no more than 3 minutes per side.

We had it with my roast asparagus wrapped in bacon, pea puree, homemade mango ketchup, yogurt and Matouk's hotsauce. Epic.

I can't wait to make it with shrimp.

[Tod Mun Goong (Thai shrimp cakes)]

Thanks Chris!

Bahh! Just opened the package and Fresh Direct screwed up my order. They sent me salmon instead of shrimp, but what the heck I'll make it anyway.

As a binder I think I'll just use an egg yolk.

Other ingredients:

• cilantro
  
• Fish Sauce
  
• sugar
  
• green curry paste
  
• minced serrano
  
• vidalia onion
  
• maybe ginger, I'm on the fence about that one.
  

[Tod Mun Goong (Thai shrimp cakes)]

I'm thinking of making these today or tomorrow. Looks simple. Puree raw shrimp to a paste and add in seasonings like fish sauce, chili and onion then shallow fry. I'm seeing lots of recipes around the web.

Have you made this before? or had it at a restaurant?

Thanks!

Grace

[Rapture Food - your last day on earth]

I had planned to have an End of the World party, but didn't get my act together in time. I'd go with a very good fondue dip or spinach, cream cheese and artichoke dip with lots of excellent Parmesan.

[Don't tell anyone, but when I cook I use...]

"Better than Bouillon" brand base.

I've always appreciated the honesty of this brand name.

Agreed. It is such a quality product.

[Easter Ham]

robirdstx LOL. Good idea. I think I'll go with navy beans.

Elsie Yes! Great idea stuffed chicken with ham and cheese. Brilliant.

Here's what is crazy, I now have 2 ham bones in the freezer. It is time!I'm in Brooklyn so there is now room for this. I need to have a Clean Out the Fridge and Freezer Party.