djyee100

I'm not sure there's a smoking gun when it comes to scientific research. The studies continue for years, until some consensus emerges. That consensus can be challenged by the next study. I did a search for "wooden cutting boards" and "plastic cutting boards" on pubmed and google.scholar. Interesting, one researcher (Cliver) has done both studies that find wooden cutting boards safer than plastic because of wood's porosity. The other studies were testing cleaners on wood or plastic, and found no significant differences in wood or plastic, although 2 studies noted that wood is harder to clean. With a little more elbow grease, bacterial counts on wood were as low as plastic. Only abstracts to read on pubmed and google.scholar. You have to pay to read more. However, what the scientific papers do NOT say--and our FDA poobahs should take note--the research does NOT say that plastic is better than wood. That, of course, is what the FDA is pushing. ETA: cdh's link above was the study done by Cliver at U Wisconsin and it's now posted on the UC Davis Food Safety Lab website. An interview with Cliver (updated 2010) below. Apparently his research has been replicated. http://www.rodalenews.com/cutting-boards-and-bacteria?page=0,0

Andiesenji, you have expressed my sentiments exactly. If Monica Metz got her training and standards from Big Cheese, no wonder factory cheese is her standard. Age on plastic, tastes like plastic, what's your problem? The FDA has been busy since the passage of a food safety law in 2011, first prohibiting importation of raw milk cheeses under 60 days of age (goodbye to the best-tasting Brie, goodbye to Reblochon totally). Then it effectively prohibited the importation of French Mimolette, a famous cheese eaten for centuries, because the cheese had too many cheese mites. The FDA's number for permissible cheese mites is so low, a cheese importer told me, that there is no way to meet that standard. Hello, what is wrong with this picture? Maybe the FDA poobahs shd get their heads out of the labs and take a look at the real world. These cheeses have been eaten for centuries, by millions of people. Doesn't this empirical data count for anything? When was the last time you heard of anyone getting ill from aged parmesan? Ever? Today's NY Times mentions that the U.S. rep from Vermont is already planning an amendment to counter this ridiculous FDA decision. I've emailed my U.S. rep and Senators to stop the FDA's action and to support corrective legislation, and I'm asking my foodie friends to do the same.

2012 Château Petit Roubié Picpoul de Pinet, a white wine that I ordered at a local restaurant, surprisingly good. An organic wine from the Languedoc, made from the picpoul grape (never heard of it before). Crisp, aromatic, medium-bodied, good fruit (apricots and peaches), good balance, a little minerality to keep you interested, and an easy match with food. What's not to like? About $15 retail.

Did this occur in the U.S.? If so, your next step (or anyone else's) is to contact the State Attorney General and report possible consumer fraud. In California it is possible to fill out a complaint form online, and I'm sure other states have a similar process. I strongly suggest that you put a 20% "service charge" on the bill, so customers realize that you haven't raised your food prices 20%. People also need to know--clearly--that a tip has been included in the total bill. (Another subject that has drawn the attention of state consumer protection agencies.) I also suggest that you think more of what a basic tipping/service charge shd be. 20% seems a little high from the get-go, though that's how much I'll pay if I'm pleased with the service. Perhaps a basic charge at a lower rate like 18%, with a note that customers can add more gratuity if they are very pleased with the service. As a customer, I would like some wiggle room in the amt of tip. Whenever I've encountered a service charge on a restaurant bill, I've liked the system, because (1) I don't have to think about tipping, and (2) IMO, it's more fair for the servers. I believe the restaurants that use this system usually turn the service charges over to their staff, and I haven't heard any bad things about that practice. Nevertheless, it wouldn't hurt to ask around before you make any changes. The IRS issued a Revenue Ruling (Rev. Rul. 2012-18) that now classifies automatic tips as wages, so get some legal advice first. My last suggestion is to think about all this after your vacation.

I have dined at a couple restaurants lately that compute tips for the bill at different ranges (e.g., 15, 18, 20 percent) and print the amts at the bottom of the check. Hint, hint, hint. I'm OK with this practice, BTW.

Welcome to EGullet, Willie, and I totally envy you for the abalone. Would you consider an Asian dish? My parents cooked a fancy noodle soup with abalone for special days. They poached pork and chicken, bok choy, water chestnuts, shittake mushrooms, and scallions--plus abalone--in a mild, seasoned chicken broth. The meat, abalone, and vegs were all thinly sliced or cut up for fast, easy cooking. They cooked thin egg noodles, or Asian-style vermicelli, separately. For the final step, the hot cooked noodles were drained and added to the soup. Serve right away, with soy sauce and white pepper on the side if people want more seasoning. My parents wouldn't eat it, but I'd put some chili pepper seasoning out there for people, too.

A fish spatula has always been very helpful for me. Like this: http://www.chefscatalog.com/product/28440-chefs-slotted-fish-spatulaturner.aspx

I usually cook the recipe for Singapore noodles from Joyce Jue. It's in Savoring Southeast Asia cookbook or the Cooking from Singapore cookbook, or possibly both. Jue also mentions that this dish is unknown in Singapore itself. To expand on the excellent suggestions already posted -- Muted flavors and soggy vegs go to method. It sounds like everything is overcooked, and that can happen if you try to cook a large amt of noodles all at once in a wok. Asian street vendors make great noodle dishes by cooking small portions very fast. Excessive curry flavor goes to ingredients. I suggest checking out garam masala recipes, there are a zillion out there in cookbooks and online. Commercial curry powder is heavy on the turmeric (it's cheap). You could consider experimenting with fresh turmeric, which has a different (IMO, delightful) flavor compared to dried turmeric. You can buy fresh turmeric in Asian and possibly Indian groceries. Peel and grate it like fresh ginger root. The place to start in your quest is your imagination. While you know what you don't like, are you clear on what you want? Go from there to attain the flavor profile you're seeking. good luck!

I didn't realize my post would be interpreted as an attempt to posit a linguistic theory for the ages. In fact, I was responding to this comment made by the OP, which concerns people's attitudes about language. In particular, I was presenting my point of view as an American of non-English descent whose family's primary language is English. While there has been mention elsewhere on this thread of English as a mongrel language (and I agree), I was focused on the use of English in America and my own personal experience. Most people on this thread may not have formally studied linguistics, but we all live in this world, use language, and are entitled to speculate or voice an opinion on what it may all be about. I would point out that no field of knowledge, including linguistics, is close-ended, because our perceptions of our world and our ways of relating to it are always changing. Or to put it another way, today's crackpot idea may be tomorrow's college text--and true scholars recognize that.

You mean like "spotted dick"? Seriously, though, maybe you're onto something. I can imagine in times past that French names referring to the Catholic religion would not be a hit in English. Also, of the French loan words we've mentioned here, many are physically descriptive of the pastry/dessert, not figurative: creme brulee, souffle, croissant, crepes, croquembouche.

For the majority of Americans, English is not the ancestral ethnic language, but the language our ancestors used to live in their new country. Maybe that's why it's so easy for us to pick up words from other languages as needed. We use our language to get around, we don't particularly love it or identify strongly with it. There's no reason for our language to be pure in any particular way, because we're a multi-ethnic and multi-racial society to begin with. These all exist. There used to be a flavor called "French vanilla" ice cream when I was a kid, which meant an extra-strong, rich vanilla ice cream. Again, the prestige factor of "French" comes into play. I've also thought of crepes as another dessert that has entered the American mainstream and kept its French name. Like tarts, American crepes may be served with some very un-French fillings. What I find interesting, other American ethnic groups (like the Russians and Swedes) make thin pancakes, but the French name won out. Not even "French pancakes," the name had to be "crepes."

This topic has become my favorite thing to think about while waiting in traffic for the light to change. So while I was stuck in rush hour traffic today I wondered about foods where the French term was not adopted. Not baguette, but French bread. (Though more people are using the term baguette now.) Not pommes frites or frites, but French fries, or just plain "fries." Those are both popular and common foods, not haute cuisine. Any other non-adoptees you can think of? Back to "croissant." In the 1960s Pillsbury came up with its crescent rolls, but that easy English term never replaced croissant. The Pillsbury crescent rolls weren't much like real croissants, I have to say. But then, neither is American "French bread" much like real baguette, yet the English term is preferred.

Off the top of my head -- macarons, creme brulee, souffle, beignets, sorbet, and sabayon are not mainstream American foods and perhaps that's why they've kept their French names. These foods are most often found in high-end shops, bakeries, and restaurants. Fondant is commonly used by professionals for cake decorating and candymaking. That term is borderline for French/English, IMO. "Tarte" has become "tart" in American English and is commonly understood to be a shallow pie (sometimes with fillings that are distinctly not French). "Sherbet" is the American cousin to sorbet, and that's what I remember eating as a kid. Sherbet has milk in it. Now "croissant" may be an interesting case. Croissants are more mainstream for Americans, yet they have retained the French name. Why? They were introduced to mainstream American cuisine in the 1960s and perhaps they have kept their original name thanks to Julia Child and increased foreign travel by Americans since then. Croissants are also very unique in what they are, the flaky pastry and crescent shape. I totally understand why "pâte feuilletée" became puff pastry for Americans. Does anyone have to ask? Do you feel that the words in the example are French. And, if so, why do you think they are used? Yes, pls see above ramblings. Do you use the same terminology when talking to your friends or family? Yes. Foodie friends, anyway. My family are not foodies and they would be bored by the entire subject. Do you understand the above-mentioned words? Yes. Do you sometimes use French words on purpose? and, of course, if so: why? Only when necessary, as with the examples you gave. Otherwise, No. Can't be bothered if there is a perfectly good English word around.

Paula Wolfert wrote a "clay pot primer" in the intro for her cookbook, Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking. That intro is available for reading on Google Books. Here: http://books.google.com/books?id=iHh19M8YNxEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=paula+wolfert&hl=en&sa=X&ei=PPOEU4OoA4mgogSr54KwDg&ved=0CD8Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=paula%20wolfert&f=false In general, it helps to remember that earthenware is slow to heat and slow to cool. No sudden changes in temperature, like refrigerator to hot oven, or the dish may crack. Put earthenware is a low oven and allow it to heat up. Put hot earthenware on a cloth pad or wooden board to let it cool. A cold surface, like marble or granite, may also cause the hot dish to crack. Always use a heat diffuser on the stovetop. Don't use earthenware, even stoneware, for dry cooking, e.g., roasting. The pan may crack from the uneven heat distribution of food to pan. (I lost 2 large Emile Henry casserole dishes before I figured this one out.) This may sound more complicated than it is. Once you get the principle of slow to heat up, slow to cool, and act accordingly, your claypots will work well. I buy my claypots from Bram in Sonoma, Ca. The pots I've bought there are extremely well-made, with excellent heat distribution. http://www.bramcookware.com/index.php

Thanks for the report, Plantes Vertes. I've encountered some organic and biodynamic wines in my tastings, but not enough to form a clear impression as compared to conventional wines. Talk about multiple variables in producing wines, though: terroir, weather, and the winemaker's skill! Not to mention the differences in varietals, and the fact that many wines are blends to balance out flaws. Very hard to assess these organic/biodynamic wines in a scientific way. Then at the end of the road, people taste differently. Interesting question, though.

I'm reading a book, What To Drink With What You Eat, by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page. It came out in 2006. Perhaps you can find it at your public library. On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/What-Drink-You-Eat-Definitive/dp/0821257188/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400043039&sr=1-1&keywords=andrew+dornenburg This book won't give you a definitive answer (I don't think there is one) but it does narrow the universe of possibilities. The authors interviewed many prominent sommeliers, then compiled two lists of recommendations, a list of what to drink with certain foods, and a list of what to eat with certain drinks. Beers are included. Take this book with the proverbial grain of salt, but I do like what they have to say in general. I think most of the recommendations are good. I do scratch my head over their consistent pairing of red wines with blue cheeses, which I was told is a no-no. Yet recently I spoke with a cheesemonger who has been trying red wines with blue cheeses, and she said she's been pleasantly surprised. So there you go, there are no rules, only guidelines.

Do you know a sommelier or wine vendor whose opinion you trust? You could ask him/her for a recommendation. Or just go into a good wine shop, and ask the staff to match a wine to your specifications. That's what I would do. good luck!

A pic of my front deck garden in late spring. The culinary lavenders (lavendula angustifolia) are in full bloom, both pink and purple varieties . The lemon verbena seems to have gotten over an awkward adolescent phase--it's almost attractive these days (centerish in the pic, behind the lavenders). On the right side, the large container plant is my kaffir lime tree, now about 6 ft tall. You can see a few low branches and leaves. Except for the sorrel (not pictured) and the chives (front row, half hidden), the rest of my herbs were trashed in March, as I took extreme measures to end a whiteflies infestation in the garden. Rosemary and thyme will be replaced eventually, so will oregano and marjoram, and I'll buy my annual basil plants, too. As for the rest--chervil? tarragon? anise hyssop? Deciding which new plants to buy is probably more fun than actually buying them. Starting to bloom, my lacecap hydrangea (hydrangea macrophylla, top center of pic), a refugee from my tree-shaded back deck, where the deer roam and were eating this plant alive before my eyes. The rest of the plants in the pic are mostly roses, a couple bud-grafted roses on the left side of the pic, and the own-root heirloom roses, young 2-year plants, on the right side of the pic. The roses have finished their first flush of bloom, and they're resting before rebloom these days.

I reread the recipe. Yes, DL's original recipe says to only sprinkle parmesan on the top. Yet when I first read it, I thought parmesan was added generously to the spinach puree to make it taste good. My wishful thinking, what can I say?

I've only read the recipe, not cooked it. I think Annabelle's post upthread is going in the right direction. I would blanch the spinach, drain it, let cool a bit, squeeze it dry in my fists. Then chop it and add it to the recipe with the cooked leeks. Do you have Julia Child's spinach souffle recipe handy? She uses blanched chopped spinach. The other bugaboo in this recipe is proper seasoning. It's hard to tell if you've seasoned properly since you've got a raw egg mixture and most people won't taste that for seasoning. (I wouldn't.) I suggest microwaving a little of the mixture in a ramekin to check for seasoning. It won't taste exactly the same as the finished product, but it will get you in the ballpark for proper seasoning--or any other adjustments with ingredients. A generous amt of parmesan will salt the dish enough and also provide interesting umami to offset any blandness. I do think this recipe is Ok as far as flavors go, but it's got technical difficulties to work out. If you have a chance, pls tell us how it goes. P.S. I remember Stouffer's restaurants also. In my high school days, my girlfriends and I went there for ice cream cones. ETA: Oops, just read your note about limiting cheese. So much for parmesan. (Are you sure you won't reconsider?) Try adding some chervil and/or sorrel for more flavors besides spinach.

I also suggest a Caribbean curry, which was mentioned upthread. I remember it from a local Caribbean restaurant where I went with some friends. The curry is Indian-influenced, with adaptations to Caribbean ingredients and tastes. Sorry I can't offer any specific recipes. I haven't cooked this kind of curry, I only know of it. If you google "Caribbean curry" you'll get links, including recipes. Jamaican goat curry is mentioned, and sounds intriguing. The restaurant is Miss Ollie's in Oakland, for anyone interested. I've only eaten there once, but my friends and I liked it and I would go there again (have been planning to, actually). The fried chicken is a must. http://www.missolliesoakland.com/menu-1/ I've also tried Nepalese curry at a local Nepalese restaurant, and I thought that was very good too. I thought the Nepalese curry showed a strong influence from Northern Indian curries. Beef rendang was probably the most popular dish when EGulleters cooked through James Oseland's Cradle of Flavor cookbook several years ago. The recipe is here: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Beef-Rendang Enjoy!

Thought I'd bump this thread up again. I didn't drink all these wines today. Actually, these are some wines I've opened since my last post and I think they're worth a comment or two. As I was going through my notes, I realized I've chosen some little sisters, the smaller, less-known siblings of some famous wines that still show the winemaker's skill and concern for quality. Here they are: 2012 Brovia Roero Arneis, from the Piemonte region of Italy. The Piemonte is becoming one of my favorite wine-growing regions (barolo, barbera, dolcetto, gavi). This producer is famous for its barolo, but its arneis has been criticized for being too lean. The big fruit of the 2012 season has rounded out those sizzling acids, though, and this vintage is both full and lively. A pronounced flavor of pears, for which arneis is known. Decent aroma, but nothing to write home about--a surprise, considering how good this wine is. Nice long minerally finish. A very fine expression of arneis, about $25. A white burgundy, 2010 Grand Vins of Bourgogne Bourgogne, a great value wine in the year of its release. I bought a bunch of bottles and stored them in my wine "cellar" (aka the back of a walk-in closet). This wine is meant to be drunk young, and the other bottles were drunk up. I forgot about this one until I did some housecleaning recently. It still drinks well, but the fruit has noticeably declined. Still, the fine structure and balance of this wine is a reminder of how well the wine was made. I haven't tried the 2011 vintage--it didn't cross my radar. This wine is made by Paul Pernot et fils, a venerable winery sitting on some of the classiest real estate in Puligny Montrachet. Some declassified Puligny Montrachet grapes were added to this wine, which is one reason it was so good. 2011 Jean-Louis Chave Selection Cotes du Rhone Rouge "Mon Coeur." A red cotes de rhone from the Northern Rhone, grenache and syrah, by a winemaker that's famous for its Hermitage. Beautiful inky, garnet color to this wine, mouthfilling fruit with dark overtones, rounded tannins and good balance. Decent finish, nothing special. A little more alcohol heat than I would prefer, but it's not unpleasant. Full, ripe fruit aroma once it opens up in the glass, and that can take awhile. Definitely a value wine, IMO, about $20.

I always understood that the default oven position for a recipe is the middle of the oven. Nevertheless, most ovens heat unevenly, so know your oven. I once attended a demo for a very expensive, razzle dazzle oven. The sales rep pulled a batch of cookies out of the oven to entertain the audience. While she continued with the sales patter, I went up to the counter and examined the cookies. They were pale in the middle of the pan and overbrown on the right side. Hmmm. I routinely rotate pans halfway thru the baking time. Rotating pans means switching pans from back to front and (if using both racks) from upper to lower, lower to upper. Keep in mind the radiant heat from the oven walls. If something is not coming along quite right when positioned in the middle of the oven, I adjust the racks up or down, depending if I want the bottom or the top to get more heat and cook more evenly. I notice people are using pizza as an example for adjusting oven heat by location of the racks. I cook my pizza on the lowest rack, close to the heating element and the floor of the oven. Then in the last minutes of cooking time I put it on the high rack to gild the toppings. I've never cooked pizza under the broiler, but I bet that also works fine--I once cooked some naan that way.

"after further testing and to ensure the best results this recipe has been altered..." (italics mine). That's peculiar language and not typical for an adapted recipe, which often simply says, This recipe was adapted from blah blah blah, period. If you look at the reviews, there is a one-star critique where a home cook complained of food poisoning and worried about leaving the half-cooked beef out on a tray for awhile. Then if you look at an earlier version of the recipe (here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/BEEF-BOURGUIGNON-BY-ANNE-BURRELL-5-33-52358511 ) as compared to the altered Food Network recipe, you'll see that the updated recipe gives a specific time, 12-15 mins, in which to brown the beef. If I had to guess, the test kitchen checked the recipe and decided to make sure the beef was sufficiently cooked before leaving it out on a tray, to forestall any possibility of food poisoning. Other than that, the two recipes are virtually identical. My rule of thumb for "original" rather than "adapted": a major change of ingredient, or a major change of technique. However, a cookbook author I know is more stringent. She will draw on other recipes, but call it her own when she has changed at least 2 important ingredients and one technique. When it comes to a classic recipe like boeuf bourguignon, though, there's far less wiggle room for a recipe writer. Anne Burrell has tried to distinguish her recipe with the overnight marinade. Also, don't discount the differences in written instructions from one recipe to another. Sometimes a recipe writer will explain a dish or technique in such a way that it will click with readers who have formerly been mystified. That's important, too. The dish sounds delicious. Good luck if you decide to cook it.

I was shopping yesterday and noticed a flyer about David Lebovitz's appearance here to promote his new book. David Lebovitz is on book tour in the US and Canada (so far, only Vancouver) in April and May. He'll be in NYC May 13-14. His full schedule is here: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/schedule/