CathyL

That sounds to me like the Nougatine menu, although one can request the JG menu in that room. I agree with Steven that service in Nougatine can fall short of that in the dining room; I wonder if the disruption of the bar scene is part of the problem. Yvonne, thanks for the wonderful, evocative report. He does wonderful things with foie gras - I haven't had a chance to try the strawberry version. The new pastry chef is still finding his way, I think. When I was there a month ago over half the desserts were still Eric Hubert's; we're going again on Friday and I'm curious about what the current lineup is. Consistency is one of Jean-Georges' strengths: the place delivers a high level of quality even when he's not in the kitchen.

At the least, we owe you a Greenmarket tour with a squash-selecting tutorial. Forgive me for suggesting such a thing, but...could you possibly have purchased the cute little ornamental squash? Those are absolutely inedible. I started giggling at the Kurt Godel reference, then tried but failed to resist LOLing at the mental image of you shattering and spraying absolutely inedible ornamental squash scraps and seeds all over the room, Beloved and the munchkin. I'm a bad, bad eGulleteer.

Oh, I though the oil was understood. No need to douse, however - a judicious drizzle should do it.

Priscilla, if by 'little' you mean the bitsy thumb-sized ones, I agree they're not worth tinkering with, as is the case with most midgetized vegetables. But the bigger than a baseball/smaller than a basketball squashes (there's doubtless a sport with the right-sized ball but I don't know what) can be lovely. Yes, I keep meaning to bring home a Hubbard. But I suspect it will demand its own room. And that I'll need an axe to dispatch it.

True, some squash are tastier than others. Although if you're a habitual hacker, Liza dear, maybe you're scaring the flavor right out of 'em. I love delicata and butternut; acorn tends to be rather bland on its own. All together, sliced maybe 1/2" thick and high-heat roasted, they caramelize nicely and become much more interesting. No need to peel, for most of the smaller varieties. The rind adds texture and color. I prefer savory seasonings to sweet. Herbs, minced garlic, S&P, sometimes a little hot pepper.

That sounds...violent, Liza. Grilled pork tenderloin, marinated in garlic, cumin, pimenton, oregano and olive oil. Three kinds of winter squash, sliced neatly and peacefully, roasted with the last of the thyme and marjoram from the pot on the garden steps. Romaine, baby arugula, spinach, raw mushrooms and sweet onion dressed with sherry vinaigrette.

Steve, are you doing a demo at the Chocolate Show this year? My friend Sue McCown, exec. pastry chef at Earth & Ocean in Seattle, has one scheduled for 11 AM on Sunday.

SA, here's a two-part kvetch: 1) Whaddya mean it's past season? I Q all year 'round. If you're in my neighborhood on Christmas, stop by for a pulled pork sammich. 2) Barbeque should be flavorful and juicy enough to enjoy nekkid, with sauce as a purely optional accessory. That said, here’s what I make for brisket, smoked meat loaf and (occasionally) pulled pork - 1 medium yellow onion, diced 3 large garlic cloves, minced ¼ cup melted fat (bacon grease, or rendered beef or pork fat) 1 cup ketchup (Muir Glen is less sweet than most) ¼ cup Worcestershire ¼ cup cider vinegar 3 Tbs Dijon mustard Sauté onion and garlic in a little bacon grease until soft but not browned. Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire, vinegar & mustard. Simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in remaining melted fat and simmer another 15 minutes. The coup de grease is the key here. What I usually serve alongside pulled pork is a variation on the Lexington-style Dip from Bob Garner’s ‘North Carolina Barbecue: Flavored by Time’ - 2 cups apple-cider vinegar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup catsup 2 Tbs Texas Pete hot sauce 1/2 tsp each salt, black pepper, onion powder 1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet Simmer briefly, turn off the heat and let it sit for several hours before serving.

Apple butter? [not intended as a goat joke]

Do you roll your own? Yep, one-handed. I need goat.

More scientific fact than theory, Dave. The same principles appy to barbeque. I smoke pork butts at an ambient temperature of 225 or lower (if my smoker cooperates), which keeps the meat's center temperature in the range where its fat and collagen break down - anywhere from 150 to 180. The internal temperature rises steadily until that point is reached, then stalls because the fat/collagen are changing state from solid to liquid. I often cook for 24 hours, and the meat is meltingly tender and juicy. I learned this from my Q mentor, a smug scientific bastard.

There's a wonderful story about Arthur Koestler: A woman accosted him at a party, gushing about how much she adored his writing and how thrilled she was to meet him. Koestler replied, "Madam, to like a writer and then meet the writer is akin to liking foie gras and then meeting the goose."

I did, and almost wish I hadn't. Richard Olney is a hero of mine, and his autobiography makes him out to be mean-spirited, catty and difficult. Although I still admire his work, the sour taste of Reflexions lingers. It's risky to learn too much about the private person behind the public face!

What spqr said. This is very easy to do since the leg/thigh bone structure is so simple - turn the piece of chicken skin side down so the skin stays intact, per Mme. Kamman's orders. Start at the top of the thigh and just work down the bone until you reach the bottom of the drumstick; leave the end of the bone in for looks, if you like, or cut around to free the meat completely. I love this cookbook but have never tried the recipe in question. Please let us know what you think, Helena.

Yonge genever and smoked fish. Vodka and caviar. Single malt Scotch and brownies.

That's a setup for the sequel, I hope. Superb post, Toby - thanks.

What part o' the beast did you get?

Yes, ma'am.

Pictures too, of all who agree to be snapped.

You did - sorry. I'm reading every other word today, apparently.

Steve, why doesn't Nobu's Black Cod Miso qualify?

Wifrid, don't be a spoilsport. I like this game because 2 of my suggestions were Plotnicki-approved. (I still think you're dreamy, however. )

Let's not forget David Burke's swordfish chop and pastrami salmon, which are not just signatures but trademarked.

Tetsuya did the ocean trout at the Beard Awards tasting 2 years ago, which suggests he considers it a signature. I'd add Jean-Georges' scallops and cauliflower with caper/raisin emulsion. And George Germon's grilled pizza.

It's radish? I thought I grabbed the cucumber. SO yummy! I'm glad I had the opportunity to introduce you. From where came the flautas/taquitos? I need a casual Friday dinner option and your assemblage seems much more fun than going out. Better wine & music, too.