Jinmyo

Wilfrid, but how do you feel about them when eating them?

Adam, I like salt too!

Maki, temaki, nigiri, o-cha.

That's because they bite his hand. It's because cooking is about intensifying flavour through, amongst other things, drawing out water. Jacques says just start at 450 F.

Kampyo are not so much pickled as dried strips that are then reconstituted.

Heh.

gari miso shiru

Oshibori - warm rolled towel Itamae-san - the sushi chef Domo - thank you Domo arigato - thank you very much Arigato gozaimashita - thank you so very much (at the end of the evening) Dozo -please. Gochiso-sama [deshita] traditional phrase at end of meal

I never rinse or wash seafood or chicken, just wipe them with paper toel or cloth, pat them dry, let them sit out in the air a bit. Washing chickens makes Jacque Pepin cry.

Orik, did you steam the shrimp with some of the stock or plain water? I like the celery root with mushroom soaking liquor. I haven't done that in years. When I have, I saute the mushrooms in butter and top the soup with them. This sounds like it was a wonderful meal.

Arrrrrr, mateys. I wonder about shipping to Canada. I can't seem to get scallop roe in Ottawa at all and those diver's scallops look to be the thing.

brig, they should be easy to find. Is there a fishmonger's you deal with? If not, there should be. If the scallops are in or exude a milky liquid, they've been pumped with water to make them heavier. Say, "Fie!" and turn your back on that den of sin and look elsewhere. Go for U10 or larger. "Should smell like the sea" etc. Not stark white, not yellowed.

Just so. Nick, you gotta get the trading cards! The bubble gum is awful though.

Thank you. Suppli are very common, usually filled with mozarella (suppli alla telefono). Yes, the lobster meat was dipped in butter and the rice ball formed around it. One could use scallops, I think. But as I say they are usually made with cheese. We made enough rosotto to have enough left for the suppli.

Belmont3, I understand completely. I like the crust one gets on polenta on flatop or pan with some butter so I'd probably go with that though.

I see. Did you reheat in a skillet? If so, what kind of oil?

Is this polenta with wild rice stirred in?

Miss J, it's kind of smoked with ground chiles in, uh, oil. edit: I purchased it. Here it is:

Steamed sa ho noodles rolled with dried shrimp and scallops with gai lan (Chinese broccoli). Grilled rare rack of lamb rubbed with chiu chow chile oil. Dashi with mussels. Stir fried ong choy (Chinese "water" spinach) with silken tofu. Gohan (Japanese white rice) with gomasio and optional green tea to pour over rice.

Le Bernadin has made its excellent reputation from your inventive but traditional preparations for fish. On the menu I notice that rack of lamb or veal are available "on request". I was impressed by your handling of the dreaded turkey in the recent NY Times article. Do you do much preparation of meat outside of the restaurant? If so, what are your favourite meats, favourite cuts, favourite methods?

So. My friend's recipe is a teetotaller bogus version. It's not about the moisture, it's about the tequila. Got it. Thanks.

So why "drunken"?

Rochelle, your comments about providing food (that is to say, a balance of protein and carbohydrates) for vegetarians and your actions in regard to this are correct. It is not hard to make something at least palatable. Let them eat slaw is no answer.

Toby, I've just been speaking with someone making "drunken beans". They were simmered in water and chile oil. Then to be fried with onions, poblanos etc. and stored in the cooking water. Is this why they are called "drunken"? That is, no tequila or other booze?

As well, I prefer to use chunks of beef rather than a mince.