nightscotsman

At $25, how about we pick one or two a week and people can choose to go to as many or few as they want? Let's be restaurant sluts!

Thanks for letting us know Dory's new book is out now. I'll have to get my order in What do you think of the Payard book? Are there many unique recipes that aren't covered in other books? Is it overly "dumbed-down" for the home baker or is it "sophisticated-but-accessible"?

Blue Heron: The new Thai restaurant on Broadway, "Simply Paradise" has larb on the menu. I hadn't had it before and I liked it, but mamster wasn't impressed (he says his is better. I say put up or shut up ). Other items we had were really good and the place itself is more upscale and sophisticated feeling than the ususal Seattle Thai restaurant. Also, if you do make it at home, Uwajimaya carries kaffer lime leaves.

Yay! I'll start fasting now in preparation

I think we've had this discussion before. You might want to check out this thread to see if your questions are answered: http://forums.egullet.org/ibf/index.php?s=...62&hl=ice+cream

Both of these books are wonderful and I highly recommend them. The Chez Panisse book is still the first one I turn to for fruit desserts. I didn't mention them because the original request was for books on classic French technique, and these books are more about modern Americanized desserts.

Shameful, n'est-ce pas? But then "beef carpaccio" was a made-up name anyway, not a classic presentation, so it should be fair game for redefinition. Aren't all the classic presentations just must made up names as well - just older? Or am I missing something?

Oh, wait - sorry for the confusion, but I meant the Friday after Thanksgiving weekend, not the Friday after Thanksgiving day The day after Thanksgiving is for brunching and recovery, of course .

I would put him in the classic camp. He is often referred to as one of the best pastry teachers and he set up the pastry program at The Institute of Culinary Education (formerly Peter Kump's New York Cooking School) If you like Dory Greenspan's recipe writing style (and who doesn't?), you might look for books by Susan Purdy, Flo Braker, and Maida Heatter as well. Very detailed a precise directions and consistent results, though more American in theme than classically French. Also, Dory has a book called "Paris Sweets" coming out at the end of this month. Though I have a lot of respect for Nancy Silverton, I found the LaBrea Pastry book a little frustrating. The instructions are not always as unambiguous as I would have liked, and just a few photos or diagrams would have helped greatly in a several spots.

I don't drink white rum by itself, but it is essential in many cocktails (mojito, daiquri) where the strong flavor of even a light amber rum would be overpowering and cloying. That said, I mostly use Meyers white rum as I haven't found another easily available, realatively inexpensive white that's better.

I will absolutely second any book by Nick Malgieri. He's a master. Sadly, some of his earlier books are out of print, but you might be able to find them used. Not many pictures, but clear instructions and solid technique. I also agree with Steve Klc that "In the Sweet Kitchen" is a big dissapointment. The recipes are not classical basics, but are more quirky and personal. I've make a couple that were good, but also some that were inedible. Some others I would recommend: "The Cake Bible" - Rose Levy Beranbaum "Pies and Tarts" - Martha Stewart (yes, that Martha. Pre-empire) "The Complete Book of Pastry" - Bernard Clayton "Baking with Julia" - Julia Child and Dory Greenspan "The Professional Pastry Chef" - Bo Friberg (This is a huge book, written for professionals, but I've found it to be fun reading and a great reference.) "Pastries" and "Desserts" from the Eurodelices series - Fabien Bellahsen (Editor) Some of these books have few or no pictures, but don't let that discourage you - their recipes and directions are so well written that you should have no problems. If it's food porn you're looking for, then the "Grand Finales" series by Tish Boyle is for you. Every page is over-the-top gorgeous. The recipes are written for professionals, but They're great source of inspiration.

I've read that wines were originally fortified with brandy to survive long ocean voyages through wide ranging climates without deteriorating. Wouldn't this mean wines like port, sherry and madeira last longer when opened than non-fortified wines? I would think that sugar would also tend to act as a preservative.

Hey MsRamsey - what about the Comet? I think it used to qualify as really divey, but might it be a faux dive by now?

In May I had dinner at Jean Bardet on a Sunday night. The food, service and decor (especially the gardens) were all very, very good, but also very expensive. In fact, it was more expensive than my meal at Pierre Gagnaire a few days later.

charcuterie (pronounced "shar-KU-tuh-ree" it believe) is a pork butcher or shop. Maybe you mean "choucroute" (pronounced shoo-kroot)? Choucroute is a mixture of meats and sausage, usually all pork, cooked in, and served with, sauerkraut. Steingarten has a brilliant and hillarious chapter about his search for "authentic" choucroute in his book "The Man Who Ate Everything". Here's a recipe.

Well, I'm reluctant to go off on the dessert since the rest of the meal was good to great, but if you insist... When we asked about dessert the waiter described the lone option as a custard, sort of broiled on top served with pineapple and strawberries. We looked at each other and agreed that it sounded like some kind of creme brulee. Not quite. What we got was a square of thick, pasty custard that had been broiled on top (no sugar, just browned) and then steamed so it was warm. The plate was garnished with shredded cabbage, a carrot flower and 4 chunks of canned pineapple - no strawberries. After a few bites we gave up in puzzlement. And let us never speak of it again .

I highly recommend the "tearless tiger" beef dish (tender and well marinated) and the pineapple fried rice. The fish steamed in banana leaves is also good. Don't even think about dessert.

Well, we do need to go there, but maybe not in this thread .

We've been talking quite a bit about the amazing deal that is the half-price bar menu at Brassa, so I thought I would start a thread on other good cheap eats in Seattle. I'll start it off with what I think is the best-kept lunch secret on Capitol Hill: the two dining rooms run by the cooking school inside Seattle Central Community College. Lunch service is from 11:15 to 1:00 Tuesday through Thursday, with an all-you-can-eat buffet on Fridays. Prices range from $4.25 to $6.50 (including soup or salad) with dessert for $1.50. Here are a few items from the latest menu (they change every two weeks): Grilled chicken breast with sweet corn souffle and slow-roasted rosemary tomatoes Salmon cakes with pernod, mustard and dill mayonnaise Pork tenderloin with fresh peaches in riesling, potatoes au gratin and herb salad Pan-seared sea scallops with roasted fingerling potatoes and grilled zucchini in tarragon-chive sour cream sauce I work within walking distance of the school, so if anyone wants to meet up for lunch sometime just drop me an e-mail

I'm in too! When is Thanksgiving this year? I'm going to be cooking like a banshee the week before, so how about the week after? Perhaps the Friday after Thanksgiving?

I want a toy with my sushi

Now that's a happy meal!

You don't like it? I think it's pretty cool and a nice change of pace. I know that the orange is the original color, but I think back then the outer ring was also painted the same color. With just the roof in orange it looks tacky to me. My favorite Space Needle look was when they had lights on the underside of the ring radiating out from the center. By sequencing the lights they could make the top look as if it was spinning like a flying saucer. Very cool

It may have been a rerun, but it was definitely filmed this summer - the space needle had the current (and icky) orange roof.

He also said that Salumi (owned by the parent of his 'good, good friend' Mario) was the first place to make sausage in Seattle, which couldn't possibly be true. I had FoodTV on while I was baking babas for the potluck. Seemed like the usual Pike Place Market tourist puff piece. Nothing on any local restaurants other than Vivace - which he called Vivace's (It always makes me cringe when people put an extra 's' a the end of a name).