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rconnelly

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  1. On well-know food writer Michael Ruhlman's blog he's got a piece up called "On Food Writing" in which he addresses the question, "I want to write about food, I want to be a food writer—how do I begin? What do I do?"

    Much of Ruhlman's advice is not really specific to food writing: it would apply as well to someone writing about, say remodeling a house, or building a wooden boat.

    Read continually, look outward rather than inward, and do all you can to convey your own passions directly and honestly and completely to strangers.

    Good advice, nevertheless. Still, I'm wondering if anyone out there has any advice on food writing specifically. Thoughts on how to start? Subjects to avoid? How do you communicate your love and in-depth knowledge of food to an audience without boring or alienating them?

    Develop a thick skin.

    Criticism happens. It can be a great learning tool.

  2. By the way, shjould anyone need a primer in nouvelle cuisine, see if you can track down a cookbook I just remembered I had from years ago:  Dining in France by Gault-Millau "based on the public television series."

    Recipes (lovingly illustrated) from, anmong others, Blanc, Chapel, Gagnaire, Rostang, Loiseau.  Glancing through it, it's not so much that it's dated, it's that everyone else seems to have caught up. 

    [Holly -- I have nothing but respect for your palate and assume a Philly kid can takes his chops being busted every now and again.  If my kid gets into Temple, I hope to buy you a few beers.]

    I want to thank all of you who replied.

    I cut and pasted several of your thought, sent them to my boss and WOW! the category was changed to Modern Cuisine - still not perfect but much better and at least up to date.

    Now if I could only get him to rereview places we haven't done in years I'd be a happy camper.

  3. It doesn't sound to me as if she insulted her intended customer base. I think she made her point loud and clear.

    I agree that "she made her point loud and clear." And a large part of her point may not have insulted her "intended" customer base, but it definitely insulted a large percentage of her potential customer base.

    I think this, as a general rule of thumb, may be true. However, I don't think it is likely to be the case with respect to people who might be customers at a raw vegan restaurant. This kind of thing is preaching to the choir, really.

    A "regular" lacto-ovo cooked food vegetarian restaurant might have concerns about turning off the curious. But it's not like hamburger-eaters are ever going to make up a percentage of this restaurant's clientele lerge enough to even measure, never mind worry about turning off. If anything, bashing back at a banquet-eating, bacon-scarfing nonbeliever is likely to attract vegetarians or dilletantes... much in the same way that fire-and-brimstone preachers may turn off most people, but still manage to increase their flocks.

    I think she should just eat a little meat and she'll calm down a bit. I find that the lack of certain proteins (i.e.those found in a yummy, greasy hamburger) in a diet tend to make people very cross.

    Having said that and having had my fair share of owners who don't agree with my reviews, I think that for her to demand that the review be taken down is a bit ridiculous. Better to learn to laugh it off.

    The folks who eat this way will read and think the writer is messed up and the ones who don't more than likely will never eat there any way.

  4. While in Tucson, I had the great pleasure of eating thrice at El Guero Canelo, one of my favorite places to eat on the globe.

    gallery_19804_437_25907.jpg

    I had only been before on one previous trip, but the perfection of the Sonoran hot dogs transformed my understanding of what a hot dog can be. You can read the description here:

    gallery_19804_437_38430.jpg

    The menu features many other Mexican dishes as well, including a very good carne asada taco that you'll see more of in a minute.

    gallery_19804_437_30933.jpg

    Everything about the place is well-designed, well-prepared, and just damned good. The seating area is outdoors under a roof, and consists of stainless steel tables kept spotless by a cadre of friendly, attentive staff. In the center of the dining area there is a stand filled with salsas and other condiments:

    gallery_19804_437_7129.jpg

    gallery_19804_437_59470.jpg

    I'm partial to the grilled jalapeno salsa in the foreground of this shot:

    gallery_19804_437_66512.jpg

    There are also hoppers filled with free grilled jalapenos and spring onions:

    gallery_19804_437_36170.jpg

    The hot dog kitchen sits in what looks like a boxy Airstream trailer knock-off:

    gallery_19804_437_38954.jpg

    The hot dogs arrive wrapped in a strip of bacon and then sit in the rectangular bin in the photo below, which quickly turns the bacon to crisp meat and bubbling fat:

    gallery_19804_437_23689.jpg

    gallery_19804_437_5716.jpg

    Here's the chef blazing away while the queue grows:

    gallery_19804_437_13175.jpg

    Across the way from the hot dog kitchen is the taco kitchen, in which two guys toil in the Arizona heat in another metal box:

    gallery_19804_437_22467.jpg

    Here's what my full meal looked like one day, with some Jamaica (hibiscus) drink:

    gallery_19804_437_31969.jpg

    A close-up of two carne asada tacos with chopped cabbage:

    gallery_19804_437_14373.jpg

    Two of the perfect hot dogs:

    gallery_19804_437_50403.jpg

    Each time our family left talking about how every detail, every aspect is remarkably well done. Though I prefer actually eating there, I'm happy just knowing El Guero Canelo exists.

    Great photos. You really captured the vibe. the only thing missing is the tejano music blaring overhead.

  5. Some years back - about twenty or so - there was an Italian restaurant called O Sole Mio.  They had an absolutely wonderful Cream of Spinach soup.

    Does anyone know when they closed, and whether or not the owners are still in the restaurant business somewhere in Tucson?

    And some way I might be able to get the recipe for that fabulous soup?

    Wish I could help. I don't remember the place, but I'll do a little detective work.

  6. "Nouvelle cuisine" seems to me somewhat similar to "modern art" -- which is to say that it has a plain reading sense that could be applied to anything happening "now" but has largely come to describe a certain era.  Which is to say that art happening in modern times is not best described as "modern art" and food from a new perspective is not best described as "nouvelle cuisine."

    This analogy between "modern art" and nouvelle cuisine works. Art produced now is called "contemporary" and the word "modern" has a very specific meaning and refers to a particular historical period, just like nouvelle cuisine does. I don't think we'd call anything we'd brand as nouvelle cuisine "contemporary."

    again thanks, I'll use these points to fortify my side.

  7. When I read your title, the first answer that popped into my mind was 'old people.'  Of course, my uneducated bias is that the term was already passe when I spent summers traveling around Switzerland and France in the late 70's and certainly by the early 80's when I lived there. 

    There may be remote enclaves of the country not familiar with the term, but they probably aren't buying your magazine or following your "Best Of" anyway. 

    Nouvelle is now 'moyen-age', but I don't have a substitute for you as I am not sure what type of cuisine you trying to describe.

    -sabine

    thanks!

    I like the 70's and 80's mention, my boss called it a term that went out of fashion in the 90's!

  8. My editor and are are having an email discussion regardign the term nouvelle cuisine.

    We are getting ready for our annual "Best of" issue and nouvelle cuisine is one of the titles. I've argued for years that we chould change it to anything but NC because there is no such thing anymore.

    He says that people seem to know what it means by the choices they make so why change it.

    Can anyone help me with some great reasons why we should dump the term and use something else?

  9. Fitting cap off to a progressively underwhelming season.  There's just no compelling "story" to Hosea's win at all. He seemed to luck into it.

    This is what gets me: the Bravo editors knew who won before the first episode aired: they had months to tweak the editing to ensure that the winner was a surprise, but a pleasant one. And instead, what they ended up creating was some random schmuck that no one really cared about. Stefan was the "clear favorite," Carla the "Dark Horse," and, oh yeah, there was some other guy, too. What was his name?

    Of course I agree that within the context of the last episode it seems clear that Hosea deserved the win: the others simply screwed themselves with bad decisions. That doesn't explain to me how Bravo could have assembled and edited the season so poorly: I don't think anyone is "angry" about this choice, like many were when Ilan won; it's clear Hosea won fair and square here. The question is, why didn't they make him a more compelling winner?

    There wasn't much to work with with Hosea.

    So, what the editors did was shift focus and create a villain in Stefan to take the attention off Hosea winning. From the internet clips and interviews, Stefan was a confident but great guy- he helped shuck Carla's oysters for her in New Orleans, etc.. But, by making him this uber-villain whom the viewers hated, his loss in the finals would create a sense of relief that anybody but Stefan won. The editing wasn't so much about building up Hosea as it was tearing down Stefan.

    i don't think that is true at all.

  10. One thing that felt that it had been "fixed" prior to Season 5 was casting.  Off the top of my head, the competitors seemed weak in Season 5 compared to previous seasons (I'm certainly not the first to state this).  For example, IIRC, didn't they go out and recruit Blais to compete in season 4?  Did they do that in Season 5?  Other than Jamie, none of the season 5 competitors seem that they might have been recruited?

    I guess my point is that better casting can make a difference.  Having said that, could the previous couple of season's casting been due to good luck in casting?  Perhaps, but the Blais anecdote seems to suggest otherwise.

    EDITED: corrected obnoxious use of quotation marks

    I read an interview with the casting director where he stated that Jamie tried out for every season. I wonder why she wasn't picked in the earlier seasons. If it was because she was weaker than the contestants they picked for the previous seasons, it would say a lot considering that she was one of the strongest of season 5.

    I know people keep saying Jamie was great but i thought she was pretty one note okay maybe two notes.

    She made creamed stuff a couple of times and used scallops in one way or another on every show.

    she may be good but she doesn't have much creativity.

  11. "You are assuming that "sell out" and "earn an honest living" are synonymous. I don't think they are. Normally, the definition of "sell out" is to do something so alien to your values that "cashing in" is the only conceivable explanation. If Colicchio were hawking Swanson's Fish Sticks, that would be selling out. Appearing as a judge on Top Chef is not."

    Your assumptions are silly. Your definitions are confused. Collichio is a celebrity chef, a brand name, and a businessman. Fish sticks, Coke, what's the difference?? He did it FOR MONEY. Hawking Coke has NOTHING to do with being a chef. He did it for the love of cash. Good for him I might add..

    I'm sure he thanks God every night for the gig on Top Chef...it's made him a celebrity, and gets him priceless free advertizing for his business ventures...he's one smart dude, he's WAY MORE than just a successful chef.

    "Then I guess you consider his restaurants on par with Macaroni grill and Olive Garden? "

    Another nonsensical statement...you would know better than me.

    "Tom Colicchio is the main reason Top Chef has any culinary credibility or relevance"

    Culinary relevance??? Get real, it's entertainment..it's a "reality show"!!!

    There is a credible and relevant art form!! HAHA!

    Look, i like top chef, i like colicchio. if he wants to hawk coke, good for him. lighten up..

    "

    Maybe he just likes Diet Coke.

  12. "I also think Colicchio does a decent job holding himself above and away from the extensive product placements on Top Chef"

    whatttt?????

    Colicchio is a GIANT PRODUCT PLACEMENT AD for himself and his chain of eateries...

    come on, in for a penny, in for a pound...the only reason ANY of these folks is doing Top Chef is to sell themselves...

    To paraphrase Winston Churchill..We have determined Collichio is a "sell out", we are merely quibbling over the price....

    Then I guess you consider his restaurants on par with Macaroni grill and Olive Garden? :hmmm:

    Tom Colicchio is the main reason Top Chef has any culinary credibility or relevance.

    Exactly!

  13. I think this explains Stefan's "Is something burning?" comment that was never explained.  Poor editing.

    Poor or brilliant, depending on one's viewpoint. If the idea was to give the impression that all five were still in the running, they succeeded.

    Oh well, I guess I've been naive enough to think that if a judge/judges present glowing comments on a contestant's food, they actually mean it. May be it's just me, but to tell someone to their face and on national television, how much you adored their dish and how much they nailed it only to later state on your blog how the dish tasted like sterno is not just misleading or poor editing, it's LYING and unnecessarily hurtful as well, in my book. Oh Tom, how so very tacky.

    I'm sure they told him - at least that's how I read it on the blog (now that i can get on Bravo again.)

  14. What I meant was - just because she doesn't drink socially it doesn't mean she doesn't taste wine or has never tasted wine.

    Yeah, but I don't think anyone could be really adept at pairing food with wine without deep experience. The range of flavor possibilities is too vast.

    Pairing wine and food and cooking wine and food are two separate isssues.

    I'm a great cook. i love a good wine. But to say I know how to a certain wine with a certain food, I wouldn't even try.

    I drink what I like....

  15. just because she doesn't drink that doesn't mean she does know wine. I'm sure she has plenty of knowledge about how wine works. You can enjoy wine without being a drinker.

    That's a bit of stretch. I would equate that with looking at pictures and descriptions of a great meal vs actually eating one in the restaurant.

    What I meant was - just because she doesn't drink socially it doesn't mean she doesn't taste wine or has never tasted wine.

  16. One thing popped out at me about last night's show. Carla decided to depart from the rest of the contestants and make a non-alcoholic cocktail/drink for the event, explaining to some of the guests that she doesn't drink and often ends up drinking water when attending parties or other events. However, early in this episode she's seen raising a glass of champagne along with the other contestants which came in a goodie basket provided by the Louisiana tourist board I think. She wasn't actually seen drinking it though.

    My question is can someone actually be a top chef and not drink alcoholic beverages at all? In particular I'm thinking that chefs at the top of their game should have some expertise on how to flavor foods with wine or other spirits and especially need to be knowledgeable about how different wines pair with their finished dishes. Just asking since I have no idea.

    And I too am sorry to see Fabio depart. I think he's very sweet and funny and definitely has talent. The pasta and bread he made looked amazing and at least he got credit for that.

    I too was sad to see him go, but somehow I think he'l be one of those chefs we see around. He has immense personality and a great public persona.

    just because she doesn't drink that doesn't mean she does know wine. I'm sure she has plenty of knowledge about how wine works. You can enjoy wine without being a drinker.

  17. Bumping this up in preparation for a trip in March. Janos: check. Cafe Poca Cosa: check. El Guero Canelo, which no one has mentioned here yet: check. (Click here for a quick post about that hot dog mecca.) What else can't be missed?

    try the new jazKitchen on Oracle. They were fab when I reviewed them it the fall, but the chef has left and I don't know if that changed anything. But it is worth a try. Reservations are a must.

    Terra Cotta has closed.

    Feast is always fun.

    And for casual Mexican with a modern twist Zivaz on Broadway.

  18. Ooooo!

    A double elimination tonight and an extended episode (although they say final episode will it really be over tonihgt?)

    The Bravo site says "Finale, Part 1." If two chefs are eliminated tonight, that would leave us with a mano à mano next week.

    thaks oakapple.

    All of a sudden today I am unable to access the Bravo website from work as it is considered "streaming media!"

  19. It was interesting to hear Colicchio and Pepin discuss how the old school cooks prefer game birds cooked rarer,and the younger cooks go for more done, and I was glad Pepin did not hold it against her.

    Am I nuts, or was it the other way around, with Tom saying he prefers the game birds rarer?

    you are correct.

  20. People underestimate how difficult it is to produce a damned good roast chicken. Although it's very easy to do a passable chicken, it is not so easy to do a great one.

    I agree,

    anyone can cook a roast chicken, but it takes a fine hand and years of practice to do it right.

    I also agree that Leah looked relieved. Ever since her little tete-a-tete with Hosea, she's had that deer in a headlights look about her. I think she realized she is the caliber of chef that the others are.

    I hope hosea goes next. He seems to always have an excuse as to why something didn't work and it is never his fault - "They ecpected me to do fish well beause I'm a seafood chef, but i'd never cooked that dish before."

    Well, duh!

    Go Fabio! Go Carla1 and begrudgingly Go Stefan!

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