Jinmyo

tommy, thanks for catching that. cakewalk, no recipes but pointers. It will depend upon what one wants the sauce for, of course. For something like you're talking about I would put extra virgin olive oil on low and steep unpeeled garlic cloves and mint stems for however long but at least 40 minutes. I'd strain the oil and use some of it to grill the eggplant. To the rest, I would add some finely torn mint leaves (the ones from the stems) and perhaps season it a bit. And then drizzle a bit on the bread before adding the other components and add perhaps a few raw mint leaves.

I think Morimoto does odori (dancing shrimp) at his new restaurant. There's a similiar Thai dish called gkoong dten or something like that. In neither case are they set on fire as far as I know. cabrales, re the slugs. I don't think so but might be wrong.

Rachel, having had kids, I agree completely with you. They have to eat sometime. The greater range of foods they are exposed to, the better.

Oh, right. Smoked cheesesh. Thash shtrue. [sudden salivation] Hm. Margaritas? Not for me. Cold beer. Tequila. edit: Oh, wait. Bloody Caesar or Bloody Mary would do.

Me too, Tommy, at the risk of the dread me-too post. But I do remain open to counterexamples proving whatever it is they prove. (Not that your dish, Wilfrid, didn't sound fantastic, especially with all those Clues to History making themselves apparent.) Priscilla Priscilla, me too. Except for duck breast. And your other comments re Wilfrid's dish? Yeah, me too.

I'm interested because I've never found cocktails to work together with food. Frozen vodka with caviar and other roe, yes. A bit of ancient single malt with some game preparations or with a very charred but very rare steak. But anything mixed causes instant revulsion for me as soon as the food touches the tongue. But martinis with oysters? Hm...

Wonderful post, Robert. Could you elaborate briefly on the buttermilk poached chicken?

Oh, do consider Guinness. Irish standard for oysters. But the martinis sound interesting, jaybee.

cabrales, oh "whipped". Of course. Somehow the only thing I could come up with was "chipped", so I thought I'd ask. You certainly are infusing this board with information.

These sound very interesting. I can immediately think of all kinds of applications. But I'll probably never even see one. Have a great vacation.

cabrales, it doesn't sound too bad. Bone marrow with the hanger steak, at least. What are "shipped potatoes"?

Jeanne, I second cabrales' request. Your presence here has been very rewarding. Hopefully you'll have had a bit of fun yourself and can roll round from time to time to post and read.

As well, more people just simply want to get out of the house, away from their extended families, more than ever before. The generational tensions can be tremendous. I believe that Suvir referred to this.

Egad, Robert. I'll try to find the links. Of course, they'll be blank when they upgrade happens... Look through the UK Board and the dreaded English Food and Restaurants threads. Look for any thread there started by Mr. P that's over 5 pages long. Then the History of Indian Food thread and a few others on the India Board.

jaybee, my V slicer has gone untouched in a back drawer for years. Never looked back.

Glenn, overbook and tell people when taking the reservation that there might be a slight wait but that whatever happens you'll find them the best table you can.

Fingerling potatoes roasted with garlic cloves in a mixture of butter and EVOO, left to cool enough to picked up with the fingers, dipped into taramasalata (cured cod roe mixed with fresh mayonaisse) and chopped chives; butter wilted spinach with the roasted garlic cloves mixed in; thin slices of rare seared prime rib with a pan dipping sauce made with brandy and Dijon.

Tremendous post, Suvir.

Robert, I certainly would. Depending upon how well you recounted it. Why? Because good writing about food and the circumstances that it was eaten in conveys information of many different kinds. When Steve P or Steve S write about a meal, I can taste it. Which is wonderful if they are describing something I've never had or thought of. It informs my own cooking or dining. In fact, I recently thanked Steve P for the lunch I had through reading some of his posts. In short, good food writing has no calories, 0 grams of fat, is ultra-light, but tasty.

Oh ho ho! No, I didn't know about that. But where does one acquire leftover brandade?

lizzie, I found this staggering. Amidst it all, this stands out to me: 8. Egg White truffle custard with ragout of Perigord truffles with veal stock presented in a hallowed out egg Coddled hen egg with perigord truffle beurre noisette Sigh.

Christopher, why in the winter only?

Oh, they're not real Indian daals, Suvir. I just do the standard lentil thing along with onion, sometimes tomato. Toast in clarified butter some cumin seeds, sometimes coriander seeds, sometimes lemongrass, ginger, garlic, chiles and add that. Finish with some lime juice, fresh coriander, and perhaps scallion threads. Perhaps garnish with a swirl of yogurt, kefir, or cream.

Suvir, chipotles are too intensely smoky for most applications although they are interesting as a component in some chutneys such as mango for use with naan or onion bhaji. Although dried chipotle powder can work quite well, especially in a lamb curry. chilhacle negro seems less smoky and works well in dal.

cabrales, perhaps you were also cooking at too high a heat (thus the burning). I always start mushrooms on high and then reduce the heat to medium. I've never used Circulon but believe it is a very good brand.