Jinmyo

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

Smoked chiles. Toasted ground cumin seeds. Dry oregano at the beginning and more at the end or fresh.

Ellen, your eyebrows were worth the sacrifice for the photos (from my own cold-hearted point of view). Thanks. Great fun.

Congratulations Nick.

Spinach, chopped, sauteed in butter, rolled in light green Napa cabbage leaves (blanched), sliced on the bias and set upright in a warm lemon "marmelade". Lamb kidneys, very rare, sliced very thin, on crispy shredded leeks, with much pepper and lime zest. Potage of leek and Yukon Gold potato with tarragon and croutons. Ahi tuna steak (very rare) with mustard seed and panko crust with tapenade and small wedge of pomme Anna (salade nicoise joke). Gorgonzola wrapped in ravioli floating in a chicken and lime broth with a bit of mint oil.

Thank you, Diane and Michael. I did not have time to bother you with questions but appreciated the bother you had taken with your replies. And thank you for your "What makes you want to return?" survey. Come back and post when you can on whatever interests you.

Jim Dixon was just mentioning lamb prosciutto in another thread. I've never had this and think I must.

I was waiting to see how Robert S would further contribute to this thread given Steve's acknowledgement of his well known suzerainity in this field. He does so by suggesting JD and others take part. This sounds like fun. edit: Robert's so dreamy.

Oooh, I like that. I'd use it as my signature line but I'm being paid to advertise for the P's upcoming dread thread. Mebbe later.

I've done the whole peppercorn trick. I like the explosions in the mouth. But other people like it much less. So I just grate lots of pepper. Jaymes, I like your chile and EVOO deal. I've always gone with fresh bread and cold butter to go with but treating it this way allows for crostini and other components.

We have an old Cuisinart for smaller tasks, an old Robocoup for larger. Usually the Cuisinart sees more action, even if it has to be refilled eight or ten times. I don't use them myself.

cabrales, the world of salumi is vast and deep. And relatively easy to explore because you can obtain a wide range of samples not only at Italian(esque) restaurants but at delis which you can take home and consume at your leisure. I highly recommend you pursue this on occasion.

Yes, I think just a rub of garlic would do. Anyway. Sushi!

southern gril when you say do you mean that there was actual sliced garlic?

southern girl, an excellent account. For some reason the toro shabu-shabu is standing out for me. As to dessert, I would never expect a Japanese or indeed Asian restaurant to have desserts that most Westerners would like. (Which is fine by me.)

Thanks, mike. I'm very surprised at the succession of butter sauces.

Not that I frequent any, but a non-smoking bar just seems kind of pointless to me.

And I bet you have your girlish figure too! At fifty, a girlish figure would be undignified dearie.

I love a baguette and cold Normandy cultured butter. I like toast! And crostini! And linguine with butter and garlic. And risooto. And rice. Simon's motto is carbs=death. Okay. And what's wrong with that? Who wants to live until they're incontinent and silly?

Suppli (deep-fried balls of risotto with saffron around a piece of lobster tail meat surrounded with butter). Gai lan (Chinese broccoli) sauteed with butter and garlic. Thin slices of rare leg of lamb with jus and braised tiny onions. Polenta with crispy lardons from double-smoked local bacon and a wild mushroom gravy (from reconstituted dried porcini, morels, lobster, matsutake). Pureed watercress soup. Crostini with Stilton, a chevre fin I unfortunately discovered was past its prime and had to pull, and perfect camembert.

Shermar, I had just assumed I would be getting both.

I see. I don't understand why it isn't used in North America. On well.

Great. Oh, here's a question. Do you use the roe (coral) from your diver's scallops?

Very nice, Nick. How many cooks do you have?

Marlene, best of luck. I thought the laser therapy was going to be some kind of floating anti-gravity ball with sensors and laser guns that would follow you around for the leased period. This sounds a little less involved and dangerous. Best of luck. "What does not kill you is ouchies. But, hey. At least it didn't kill you." -Furd Neitzsche (the less well-known brother)