IrishCream

Yes...although that is just my opinion. Apparently, there are lots of people who enjoy it.

Ummm...Texas is a big state. But if they are talking about the Tookie's in Kemah (Seabrook) Texas, then I have eatan it. I would recommend grinding the bacon in with the beef rather than dicing it. Or parboiling diced bacon first.

Several years ago, I threw away my old cheap aluminum wok when I received an expensive (relatively) Atlas steel flat-bottomed wok as a gift. Strangely, this wok has never gotten seasoned. It looks exactly the same today as it did then. I confess I rarely cook with it, cuz food sticks! Does anyone have experience with this brand of wok? How do I season it? Should I just ditch it? edit: What I mean to say is that after stir-frying in it several times, it never lost its shiny stainless steel appearance and food continued to stick...so I gave up.

spqr....Thank you for (unknowingly) expressing my thoughts much better than I could have. I echo you completely.

Your meal sounds wonderful. If only the servers at the Slanted Door last week had made the same offer re the bones! Keep us posted on your NY adventure (sounds like a whole month of food, not just a weekend!). Enjoy! (kinda envious emoticon)

Andy...you don't actually say if your invention WAS good? Hvae you ever made it again?

You, like me, clearly have a love affair with cheese and bread. You have talked about it extensively in your books. And I thank you for that...I no longer feel guilty about my desire for such "simple" food. Can you share some of your bread and cheese thoughts with eGullet? What variations do you currently enjoy? What are your current fave cheeses? And breads?

Clearly, I am missing something. Where are these recipes to be found?

Hey John...I am repeating this post which for some reason disappeared when I tried to correct a spelling error. I won't be able to do this as well as I did the first time. My favorite topic on your website is the Breakfast/Midnight snack column. What is your criterion for which snacks make the cut...to be written about? Do any of your snacks actually inspire articles? And what are your all time fave breakfast and midnight snacks? (I sent in a response to your recent contest..I am the person who suggested a chipotle chile...how wrong could I be? )

Wow...someone is making a bundle of money. I bought the magazine once. The recipes reminded me of Junior League cookbooks, et al. Don't get me wrong...I have cooked many good recipes from community cookbooks...the River Road series from Louisiana comes to mind. The Pasadena (CA) J. L. also has a couple very good cookbooks. And my favorite peach cobbler recipe comes from a TX Hill Country collection. But....the mag struck me as very simplistic in its recipes. It lacks the geographic and historical connection that makes a community cookbook interesting.

I'll second the vote for L'Auberge but it is pricey. When we were there in June we had Sunday brunch at The Enchantment Resort. It was a fabulous spread with something for everone including a side of smoked salmon and beautiful huge prawns on ice. $29.95 includes unending champagne...quite a deal. If it's warm enough sit on the balcony and enjoy the view of nearby red rocks. Have fun!

Yes, for molletes...you cut a bolillo in half and remove some of the crumb. Butter and toast the tops. Then slather each half with hot refried beans and top with cheese and bake til cheese melts...mmmmm. If I still lived in Texas I'd be knocking on your door and begging to share some chilaquiles!

Thank you, Cabrales. It is great to have menus and prices. I hope you were able to cut and paste or scan and didn't have to type all that in. So did you eat there? What was your experience?

Perhaps this response does not belong here but...has anyone tried El Pato (tomato) sauce? I love it for chilaquiles, enchiladas and spicing up taco meat. More to the point, I first encountered chilaquiles in Mexico as a breakfast food...I don't eat eggs and they had no problem leaving the eggs out. What a treat. But upon returning to the states, cooking chilaquiles was just too much hassle for anything other than dinner. Of course, I always fried up my stale tortillas. Can't wait to try Jaymes short-cut. Another question....what do you travelers to Mexico think of molletes? Another breakfast item that does not have eggs...I adored them.

Thank you for a thoughtful answer. A short follow-up question if you don't mind. Where do you start your research (beyond your own book collection)? The library, the internet, used book stores? How did you happen to run across the book by Arsenath Nicholson?

Hello, John. I am a big fan of your books, newsletter and website. Thank you so much for agreeing to an interview with eGullet. I am curious about where you get the inspiration for your writings. For exampe, the chapter on potatoes, and the Irish, in "Pot on the Fire". Were you reading a book that caused you to consider it? Or did you come up with the idea and go research it? I guess I am asking about your creative process. How does it work?

I used to drink some kind of hideous beer (might have been malt liquor) back in New Haven during the late 70s/early 80s. It may have been local but I just can't remember the name of it...hope someone else here can. It came in 16 oz green bottles...I called it the Green Dragon. The great thing about it was that under the bottle cap was a puzzle. A symbol puzzle...I don't recall the word for those...but some of the puzzles were difficult...even Yale grad students couldn't figure them out. I prided myself on figuring out the puzzles and stumping the snotty grad students with them.

I don't understand. Him not being there ruined the meal for you? mike I think Stone was sarcastically referring to a discussion from months ago when several posters expressed resentment at finding themselves eating in fine restaurants when the chef was not present. Not that I can speak for Stone, of course.

Let the Judge cook anything without my constant supervision. Last week he kindly offered to grill the Cornish Game Hens. After consuming them, I realized the giblet bags were still inside them! I asked him how he didn't notice the giblet bags when he washed the hens. Complete silence and he wouldn't meet my eyes... Ug.

Ahhhh...I feel the guilt lifting just like an Irish sunrise. But what about using them in stir-fries, Chinese cooking? All the recipes I see these days call for fresh Shiitakes.....

A little off topic but...I hope someone can help me...I bought a giant container of dried shitake mushrooms at Costco....a few years ago! That container gives me guilt feelings everyday...I have never opened it. Shortly after buying it, I read that once you open a container like that, bugs will develop. And I still can't think of how to use them all before the bugs come. Are they too old now? Should I just throw them away? Help, please. Catholic guilt sucks. THIS POST HAS BEEN USED TO START A NEW TOPIC ON THE CHINESE FORUM- Ed Schoenfeld

I understand what you are saying but I have to disagree. I confess I am addicted to Pommes Souffle.....until I moved to CA from Houston recently...I regularly indulged my addiction by driving on the spur of the moment (you know how junkies are) to NO and eating Pommes Souffle and Shrimp Remoulade at Arnuad's. And I always eat at least one meal at Uglesich's. I love that place. Last summer the taxi driver who took us there for lunch totally ripped us off. Consequently, we were upset when we got there, and the owner was so cordial....he called the Taxi Authority to report our driver and comped us a couple of Bloody Mary's. And then served delicious food. My last visit to Commander's Palace was in the summer of 2000 for lunch. To my amazement, when we ordered Cafe Brulot after lunch......they dimmed the lights in the entire garden room in order to serve us. I guess they wanted to make sure we saw the flames...very romantic. I have also this year had an excellent rack of lamb at Mr. B's. My one meal at NOLA's was disappointing so I have never returned. So while I understand your disappointment with the old school restaurants...they aren't all bad. Gee, think I can find Pommes Souffle in SF? Nooooo

No, they are not battered and the heat is very high. Typical frying temp. The skin is often blackened...one does not eat the skin of a fried turkey (speaking for myself).

Ummmmm....so not like crepes? How about the proportions of flour to water? I can experiment with putting the two balls together and flattening them. Tho I can't imagine how it works. Thank you all so much! I am actually going to cook this duck, I think!

Sorry to usurp the answer....but just having moved to California from Texas...I know all about deep-fried turkeys. There are specially made outdoor deep fryers (electric) in which to cook them. Before cooking, the turkey is usually injected with spices, etc. and then it is cooked in hot oil. The turkey cooks through in a little over an hour. Many southerners swear by them.