Jinmyo

No, wild garlic. And yes, very pretty. And the shade of green they reach when cooked! :wow:

DEEP-FRIED MORELS!

Ramps are fresh baby wild garlic. Only available for a few weeks in early spring. The bulb and greens are delicious.

Liza, sounds fabulous. Always more cream. Always more butter. Just a smaller serving.

Mark Bittman has a nice article online about what's involved in preparing "honest, relatively simple restaurant cooking." Here it is.

Where else? Bux, you know, I just don't think of Middle Eastern/former Soviet nations as being Asian. Just don't. India, Nepal and so on. But Afghanistan is just too up north in that region in my own skewed little mental atlas. Eurasia maybe. Or is it Oceania? Which one is and always has been our ally? I'll have to look it up on my Newspeak CD-ROM from Microsoft. Nah, let us speak not of lists as such but rather of specific restaurants you agree or disagree with. edit full disclosure: I typed the code for a wink and didn't get a smiley.

I usually saute chopped white or red onion and whacks of garlic (perhaps add reconstituted porcini, or fresh oyster or cremini) in EVOO. Season. Then I add tinned San Marzano that I crush by hand. Then a bit of dried oregano. Simmer for about fifteen minutes. Then I might add some fresh basil or parsley or mint and/or chunks of fresh plum tomatoes. I also often start with rendering some panchetta, slab bacon, or guancale. Or add some browned skinned sausage chunks, done seperately so I can check out whether the fat and juices are rank or not. (I hated tomato sauce for decades but was brought back to the path by Saint Mario.)

The Voice has an online article by Robert Sietsema on the 100 "best" Asian restaurants. A quote: "Don't expect elegant dining rooms or fine china." The sub-title is "A Five Borough Feast, From Afghanistan to Vietnam." Afghanistan? Asia? :confused: Clickit. Discuss.

Saint. One of the few British TV chefs worth watching.

Every time I hear anything about Esca I get very hungry. But it's a long walk from here.

tommy, you didn't care for the monkfish liver? Or you're joking? Where was this? The combination sounds intertesting?

I didn't know that saag could be made with mustard greens. Lovely.

B Edulis, just loverly. Thanks for the photos.

That's great, tommy!

The general good humour in the midst of serious discussion is one of eGullet's most precious virtues.

I'll have some cheese, Beachfan. It's a beautiful day.

Israeli couscous rather than the itty stuff.

Yes, this one of the wonderful aspects of Indian cuisine. It would make a good thread.

Suvir, if I only have carbohydrates I get sleepy and not too bright. :confused: On the other hand, if I only have protein I get a headache. :wow: I agree with your points though.

They sound interesting, especially with green chiles. I don't think I would want more than one though. I don't like filling up on carbohydrates without a good protein balance (whether from a vegetarian source or meat). I suppose the peas combined with the bread would provide a bit through protein complementarity; but there would have to be a lot of peas.

lizziee, how wonderful. I would very much appreciate any threads you want to start on Thomas Keller on the California or General Boards or wherever. I have only read of Keller, including spending many days with the cookbook. But I am tremendously impressed not only with the dishes but with how the kitchen functions. The credit always given not only to chefs and people in the front but to suppliers as well brings great credit again to him. I sense a generosity of spirit that has matured over many years.

Heh. Potato sandwiches. Reminds me of a chip buttie. I have never had these. The pav sound interesting. What is the spice blend?

Excellent discussion, Steve and Suvir.

Liza, I don't even know where the salamander plugs in let alone what it would take to set one up. Not what I do. I was just being light about it and did not mean to appear otherwise. My apologies. You and D certainly do more than make do, though.