SorchaR

Yes to both of these. There's got to be some creative editing going on here in Marcels case, I think. Yeah, he's a diva, but he doesn't deserve the way he's getting dumped on. After watching last night, I was left wondering if any of these people know how to be a mature adult.

I haven't been able to buy Triscuits or Wheat Thins in WEEKS, because of her Jokeresque grimace on the boxes. I can't claim to be a foodie, but she just plain annoys me.

Wrote this last night in a state of slightly-drunken, food-inspired bliss. I had to go back and censor out the naughty words for public consumption. *** Dear Tony, It's New Year's Eve and I'm sitting at my computer, stuffed to the gills from a five-course foie gras tasting menu consumed at a friendly downtown Portland bistro. I'm still blissfully buzzed from the wine I had with dinner, still tasting the duck prosciutto and goose confit that accompanied the foie, and very, very happy with life. Thus, I'm writing to you, cheerfully, lovingly, and slightly drunkenly, to say simply, "Thank you." You see, a year ago at this time, not only would I not have sought out a meal like the one I ate tonight, I'd have refused to eat it if it were offered to me. All my life, I've been a picky eater, never moving past that stage kids go through where they shun anything unknown to them, especially if it has even the faintest hint of something odd about it. I was a thirty-five-year-old toddler - limited of palate, fearful of anything new, and a horrible influence on my son, who thankfully has managed to avoid picking up those bad habits. Then I started watching food shows on TV. Gordon Ramsay was the first chef to really catch my attention, though at first the food was less of a draw than the man himself - watching him trying to straighten out lazy chefs and stupid restaurant owners was entertaining as heck and who cared what he was cooking? Still, he drew me in, and while my palate was still narrow, my interest was piqued. I started to read, to seek out books and TV shows centered around chefs and food. Before long, I actually started paying attention to what he was doing at the stove, too. And then, Tony, I discovered you. Reading your books and watching you in action on "A Cook's Tour" and "No Reservations" has changed my entire relationship to food. My husband, who after nearly fifteen years of marriage had almost gotten used to my finicky ways, is astounded. (He may also be a bit annoyed that you, a person I don't even know, were able to accomplish in very short order what he hasn't been able to do in all the time we've been together. But hey, he no longer has to restrain himself when he cooks for us, and that's what counts, right?) The upshot of all this is that tonight, a dear friend and I had reservations for a meal that not so very long ago, I wouldn't even have considered tasting, let alone laying down a sizable chunk of my measly day-care worker's salary for. And it was one of the best f'ing meals I've ever had. In terms of sheer, unrestrained, decadent culinary delight, it was the best. I cleaned my plates, and that, for me, is saying a lot. So, Tony, I'm writing to say "thank you." Thank you for living life to the fullest and bringing us along for the ride. Thank you for teaching me that there's nothing to be afraid of, and that for God's sake, try everything you can because it's a big, beautiful world with a lifetime of wonderful experiences and delicious food just waiting for you. Thank you for not holding back on us. Next on the list: Durian from the Asian supermarket over on 82nd. Thank you for that, too. Thank you for being you. *** The durian, by the way, wasn't bad. Certainly tasted better than it smelled. *G*

Yes! Nari is adorable!

Dammit, I wish I'd seen this before now. Of course, I've been doing well to stay upright at all the past few days (due to illness, not alcohol, alas!) but I'd have managed somehow.

Has anyone else had the Red Bean Pocky? A friend sent me some from down in Cali and it was...interesting. Tasted pretty much like beans cooked with sugar. I'm going to have to hunt down that Hazelnut Chocolate stuff. Considering that Oregon is Hazelnut Central, hopefully they'll be in our Uwajimaya.

I hope they don't mess around with Dagoba too much.

Interesting! We really enjoyed it, but like you said, the distance and quantity could have been a factor, as well as just a difference of individual taste. Which Pastini did you go to, if I could ask? Even that might make a difference in the quality of the food. I love their capellini pomodoro - freshly cut tomatoes and big hunks of garlic, but it is admittedly a much lighter sauce of that type than I've gotten elsewhere.

Oooh, we'll have to check out Wong's King. Ever since our favorite place (in which we were often the only non-Chinese) got taken over by Hung Far Low, we've been missing the good stuff. They had an awesome shredded duck soup there that my son still reminisces over. We've been going down to Woodstock to Wong's Garden, which is good, but much closer to the usual standard Chinese-for-Americans fare.

If you like pasta, we've become quite fond of a place called Pastini. It's got four locations in Portland (we eat at the one on SE Division across from New Seasons.) The food is incredible, and every time we've eaten there so far we've gotten our meal lightning quick. Just up the road at about 34th and Division is Pix Patisserie, which has beautiful desserts and sandwiches, as well as homemade ice cream. A friend of mine has eaten at Carafe, a bistro downtown, and loved it. (We're going there New Years' Eve for their five-course foie tasting.) I haven't eaten there yet but I've looked at their menu online and it looks awesome. If you want to try something that's likely to be new (not wanting to make any assumptions), Lung Ta is a Tibetan restaurant on NE Sandy at about 42nd. Very stick-to-your-ribs, not highly spiced. It's wonderful stuff. I especially recommend the beef shah momo (dumplings), steamed bread, and lamb curry.

many people who, say, have to work on Thanksgiving, or who aren't necessarily disposed to cooking, would probably disagree. including me, although i don't fall into either of those two categories, and i do use store-bought stock as a base, with quite decent results i'd like to think. surely you recognize that there are lots of different types of people in the world with priorities, needs, constraints, interests and passions different than your own. regardless this seems to have little to do with Rachel Ray or her television shows other than she had a show on cooking t-day dinner in an hour and she's quite popular. and if she got just one person to make dinner for their family or friends well that's probably something more positive than most people have done today. ← Okay, seriously? I'm not sure why you're jumping on me about this. I've had to work on many a Thanksgiving, and I'm not disposed to cooking - I think I've mentioned I'm probably the laziest person in the world in the kitchen - so I can see what you're saying. However, I've said, several times, that my opinion on RR is just that, my opinion. Why it can't be left at that, I'm not sure. I can understand the desire to defend her if you're a fan of hers - any time I read someone ragging on Bourdain or Ramsay I have to sit on my hands to keep from starting a wankfest - but the fact remains that I haven't claimed that this is anything but my opinion. In other words, *if* I were to get off my lazy ass and cook Thanksgiving dinner, I would go the whole nine yards. (In our house, it tends to be a huge family effort with my husband's family, everyone contributing, but that's beside the point.) That's me. And yes, it's one of the reasons I didn't enjoy her show. I honestly didn't care for her personality, and found her incredibly annoying. That's how it goes sometimes. Could we possibly just agree to disagree here? I don't think this is something where you'll change my mind or vice-versa, and to go back and forth on it like this seems kind of like wasted effort that could be better spent on fun things.

Well, the grocery store thing is kind of irrelevant I think. I'm just saying why she annoys me and that if you're going to cook Thanksgiving dinner, you may as well put more into it. If you ordered from the grocery store, at least you'd get a real turkey, not "turkey cutlets" or whatever it was she made.

*nods* It's the least we can do - those of us who eat meat, anyway - to see at least once in our lives where it actually comes from. I have to admit to giggling when he kept saying, "Good thing the kids aren't here." The kids were all, "We want to watch!" while he was the one who felt bad about it. People forget what bloodthirsty little creatures kids can be.

the phrase "to each his own" comes to mind. ← Well, that's where the "IMHO" comes in. In other words, that's one of the reasons she annoyed me personally, and YMMV.

The McDonald's out here, don't know about the rest of the country, are now serving Seattle's Best coffee - and they've managed to make it suck as bad as the rest of their coffee. Quite a feat.

A sugar-free muffin that was reminiscent of a berry-tinged block of styrofoam. Reminded me why being diabetic sucks so very hard.

Oh, ick! Kappa maki's my favorite, I totally feel your pain. Nothing's worse than having your mouth ready for your favorite treat and then it's WRONG. (Edited to fix typo.)

I'd still hit it, melted or not.

*dies* Made by Global, maybe? It's funny how many of the people I liked at first, I can't stand now, and vice versa. I wish someone would take a good old-fashioned cast-iron frying pan to Betty, man.

Maybe it's reactionary of me, but she annoys the living hell out of me. The one ep I saw was her making Thanksgiving dinner and her whole selling point was making it quick and easy. Thanksgiving dinner is supposed to be special, not something you can make any day of the week. I'm the laziest person in the world when it comes to cooking, and even I would make a real turkey and use real drippings for the gravy, not canned chicken stock. (Am I the only Southerner who saw that and *cringed*? Even my lazy butt makes gravy from scratch, when I make it.) If you're just making a quick dinner during the week, that's one thing. But if you're cooking for Thanksgiving, put some effort into it, IMHO.

I love this show, especially the opening sequence. (I tracked the song down and downloaded it, and it kinda fits him, really.) Too bad, though, that nobody told the poor man at the beginning it's not a good idea to name something you intend to eat, especially if you have kids. By the time someone got round to it, it was too late.