Jinmyo

The lower range Canadian restaurant: "Damn, it's cold eh? Well, warm up and have a nice cold beer. Want some fries?" The middle range Canadian restaurant: "Damn it's cold, eh? Well, have a nice bowl of pasta and some fresh herbs. Would you like some wine with your beer?" The upper range Canadian restaurant: "This is just as good as any American restaurant except we've put real maple syrup in unlikely things. The risotto is made with wild rice, eh? Canadian wild rice. From Canada. And we grow all the mustard seeds in the world. The Dijon mustard there? We grew the mustard seeds. Here's the wine list. And the beer list. Cold, isn't it? Put that cigarette out."

JD, your original post was great. You must have worked quite a bit on it. Thanks.

The pie and cream and "down south". This means the southern States rather than Shrewsbury and a fruit pie rather than steak and kidney? I hope so.

torakris, I've never been able to find a truly good use for shirataki (yam paste noodles). Flavourless. Any suggestions? I find people regret their presence in dishes.

Dave, please finish off the journal.

I have a few of these. The oil's probably gone bad in them by now, I use them so seldomly.

The fat is mixed with all kinds of dross from the proteins and such.

Maybe I missunderstood but "real pizza connoiseurs only eat crust and sauce and maybe a little cheese" I was making a rather in-joke that requires one to always be reading everything posted on all eGullet boards always in order for it to be funny. Personally I love crust.

Actually, I beg to differ awbrig. According to their website and what I had heard years past

I used to use a biohazard suit and just take not of the food using a clipboard and breathe through an oxygen tank. I'm more confodent now and actually use well washed hands. That I wash again and again. Especially if I want to rub my eyes after slicing a half bushel of Thai bird chiles.

A touch of Dijon mustard is wonderful in any almost whisked vinaigrette except one that uses wasabi. I think that the main thing is to use excellent olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil or whatever flavourful oil one is using. And that if one is looking for a "flavourless" oil that grapeseed is far better than canola. And that citrus zest is always welcome.

Klink is so dreamy.

Saint Mario of Babbo.

Darn, but I love stale bread at the bottom of or crumbled into a great soup. One of the most precious things I've learned from what I've experienced of Italian cuisine (as grand-daughter of an Italian monkey grinder emigrated to Wales, as a child in Italy for months at a time as a child and teenager, and revivified in near dotage by the powers of St. Mario Batali) is how to use the common or even less than common well. Extremely well. I know that this is not relevant to Steve P's gist but I jest not that just this is very relevant to me.

I won't be able to get to NYC for a year or two or more. So I'll have to make do with the scraps from reports. (Thus doggy face.) So copious and extended reports from all please please please.

Oh my. This one NYC eGullet sanctioned dinner I would definitely like to go but can't. This is my sad face:

Heston Blumenthal on roasties in the Q&A: clickit

Yeah. Right. ediot: Just joking, Nick. I know you're a mensch and wouldn't stoop to pettiness.

"Real connoisseurs of pizza only eat the cheese and sauce. The dough is for tourists."

It all depends. In summer I use San Marzano (style) roma tomatoes. I chop or use a processor, season, strain through cheescloth into a bowl in the refrigerator. In winter I sometimes used tinned San Marzanos along with shallots and celery, salt and pepper. I often have a gallon or two in ziploc bags in the freezer made from tomato skins and guts while doing concasse. Sometimes I'll spike it with a touch of Stolli or some herbal essence. I think that the main thing really is to just use enough salt to draw out the water.

My take: FL, yes. Les Halles, no.

Wilfrid, I've only seen packaged sazon. If you have the time and are confortable in doing so could you please tell me what are the ingredients?

Bravo Rochelle.

Mario will tell them on his next trip.