CathyL

A college friend from Lucknow introduced me to Indian food. On my dorm-room hotplate (illegal), we made curry and dal. The curry was simple - oil-toasted spices, lots of onions, lamb or chicken, water. The room and hallway were fragrant for days after, so the hotplate didn't last long. I was invited to my friend’s home in NJ on occasion. On my first visit, she assured her mother I could handle the heat level they liked. The lamb curry was so spicy it brought tears to my eyes but I loved it. My memories of what else we ate and cooked are sketchy, alas. (This was many years ago, and it was the ‘60s more or less.) Keemah, mostly with ground lamb. Pulau. Chapatis and mango pickle. A vegetable stew of potatoes and something else - peas? cauliflower? It was called pudya, pronounced like ‘wouldjya.’ I can’t find it on the Web so maybe I’ve garbled the name, or the spelling, or both. Most exotic, to my ignorant palate, was carrot halwa. We peeled and grated piles of carrots, cooked them in ghee and a little sugar until caramelized, then added milk and cardamom pods and simmered until the carrots were almost dry. Pistachios were mixed in at some point. Intensely sweet, very rich, almost fudgy in texture. Oh it was good. Does anyone have a recipe to share?

I wondered about that myself. The bar was always empty too. Embryo injections would explain a lot. Le Petit was recommended by my client at Nestle, I believe. Remember the red & white wine dispensers in the corporate cafeteria?

The nectarines are as gorgeous as the blueberries this year and they're delicious together in a crisp. I toss sliced nectarines with a little flour (will try tapioca next time), spread them in a baking dish and sprinkle the berries over. Topping (for 2-3 pounds peaches): 1/4 c flour 1/4 c brown sugar 2 oz. cold butter 1/4 c oatmeal 3 oz. toasted pecans, roughly chopped cinnamon, nutmeg and/or lemon juice, maybe Flour, sugar and butter pulsed in a small processor until crumbly, nuts and oats stirred in (This holds nicely in the refrigerator for hours.) Scattered over the fruit just before baking at 375 until the top browns and thick juices bubble. With vanilla ice cream, there is no finer summer dessert. Until the blackberries ripen, anyway.

I also pondered too long and should have gone with what came to mind first. A weekend in Vevey, Switzerland (where MFK Fisher lived between the wars), May ’94. Balmy spring weather, geese flying low over Lake Geneva, Dents du Midi visible from my window at the Hôtel des Trois Couronnes. Two dinners: Le Petit, a small family-run place in the hills above the lake. Flowering wisteria outside, light wood and soft colors inside. Superb simple food: seared foie gras with white asparagus; skate vinaigrette; baked daurade with beurre blanc; cabillaud (cod), lightly smoked, over baby greens with slivered radishes; wines made from chasselas, the local grape. Le Raisin in Cully, halfway between Vevey and Lausanne. Elegant but unstuffy. Kidneys in parchment with crosnes (which I’d read about but never seen), baby onions, peas, garlic. Lamb with lentils de Puy, haricots verts et blancs, broiled tomato. Lobster risotto. Marvelous steamed sea bass with a light curry sauce & preserved lemon peel. Asian influences, we asked the maître d’? "Quand le chef est ennuyé, il rêve qu'il est en vacances..." My first taste of real Epoisses, sigh. And with dessert the maître d’ brought out an eau de vie homemade from wild raspberries.

Yes, Toby. Such a great book!

I typed 'pork belly' at first and then changed it. 'Fresh bacon' is such a clever menu euphemism.

Poached figs in red wine with yogurt and fig ice cream at The Real Greek. Braised fresh bacon at Gramercy Tavern.

Me too. Avocado is also a good hair conditioner, and oatmeal/honey/egg white makes a nice facial masque.

What's your point? I think Tommy just made it.

I can tell from the pictures of your Canada trip - you and Momo look very happy together. By the way, if I had lots of egg yolks I'd make a big batch of lemon curd and parcel it out among my best friends.

For your first visit I would order the scallop/cauliflower app. It's stunning, and a good expression of JG's genius at combining unexpected flavors. The tasting menu is replaying one of my all-time favorites: squab with onion compote and preserved lemon. (You can order it without going for the whole menu.) Mao, I agree that the food is intellectual, and I think I know what you mean by 'emotionally cool.' Even when the flavors are big they seem precisely orchestrated. Definitely educational!

You never asked. She was 8 months old when we got her (from a reputable breeder in NJ) and was already determined to be the household's alpha dog. It took us a few years to figure this out. She was quite intelligent and unbelievably stubborn. I chuckle whenever I see someone walking [sic] a bull that's decided it won't move another step. Period. How is Momo faring in the heat? And what's your favorite technique for cleaning his wrinkles? We finally settled on a soft cloth and warm salt water.

Egg yolks freeze very successfully if you blend them with a little sugar or salt first. Steven, I wish you hadn't raised the question of WHY the half eggshell works so well to remove broken bits. I've spent far more time than I can afford trying to beat an answer out of Google. Our bulldog loved eating egg yolks (actually the only thing she didn't love was dill pickles) but it was kind of gross to watch.

Well, better USC than Tavern on the Green, if we want to make a good impression.

This is sorta tangential, but I was recently given 'Second Helpings,' the second USC cookbook authored by Danny Meyer and Michael Romano. It's an excellent collection of recipes, but the standout is the concept for the photos: instead of food shots, Danny & company recruited friends, customers and staff for a series of pictorial essays - each a vignette from the life of a busy restaurant. E.g., the customer who forgets his wallet (and ends up in the kitchen, washing dishes); the diner who offers tastes of her entree to her friends (and ends up with an empty plate); three men who order a bottle of wine, taste it in turn and go 'blech' (and end up drinking beer). The latter is my favorite because the three are Andre Soltner, Alain Sailhac and Jacques Pepin. Danny Meyer is my hero.

How is the pork packaged, and does the label say whether rubs or sauces figured in the preparation?

Wow, Toby. I don't have time or brain power to write a serious response now, but I wanted to say what a provocative question this is, and how well expressed.

We got there at 8:15. My group was in the rear left corner, trying to behave like grownups. The meringues, like the marshmallows, are too sweet for me. I love the little chocolate ganache squares, though.

Gruner Veltliner is a grape native to Austria - the wines are Rieslingesque but taste distinctive, and they're food-friendly. Never met one I didn't like.

Was that the foie gras en torchon? I had trouble deciding between that and the foie on toasted brioche. Sorry the asparagus was off - it's usually drop-your-fork fabulous. Jean-Georges is the only force in the universe that can make my husband love green vegetables. My best wine experiences here come from asking one of the sommeliers to choose something exciting based on the dishes ordered. They always recommend a wine we'd never have thought of, and drinking it is both fun and enlightening. But often, Liza, I just order a Gruner. Vivin, what do you think about the marshmallows? I like the concept but don't actually want to EAT them. Others at my table were enthralled. (Does anyone else remember the cotton candy dessert at the Four Seasons?)

I don't mind feeling silly for a good cause. Rochelle, I too look forward to your posts and share in the admiration of their style and substance. Many thanks for taking the time to let us learn from your experience!

How could I have forgotten the beer?? Okay, I yield to Rail Paul on the slaw: serve it on the side. (Hi, my name is Cathy and I'm a kitchen fascist.) BUT encourage everyone to try at least one sandwich with the slaw on the pork on the bun. This is not instinctive behavior, unless you're a good ole boy/girl.

I like potato rolls, but tradition calls for cheap white squishy buns. If Burger's pulled pork is righteous (I like their smoked hog jowl ), don't drown the meat in sauce: pile some on a bun bottom, drizzle over a little sauce if you like, and top with slaw. Eat. Repeat. There are lots of sauce options, depending on which Q region you choose to honor. My preference lately is for a Lexington NC-style 'dip' - mostly vinegar, a little catsup. I'm happy to post a recipe for that and/or my killer coleslaw, if you like. Pulled pork, food of the gods...

Weinhen, what a tasty writeup! We were there Friday night for my husband's 50th birthday - six of us, so there were opportunities to taste a lot of the menu. Here are my notes: Amuses: - Tomato gelée on a stick sprinkled with powdered popcorn, set on a slick of vanilla syrup, basil purée - Duck foie gras on marinated peach with caramel foam - Peekytoe crab on green papaya Jean-Georges has been playing with sweetness in savory dishes – it’s most fun with bite-sized offerings, I think. For example, the Jordan almond duck is too much for me. But I love AGs that are really amusing! These make you think, too. Apps: - Toasted foie gras on brioche with cherry/ouzo marmalade & microgreens - Ribbons of tuna & seabass, ginger & radish marinade - Peekytoe crab with 3 different vinaigrettes (mustard, Asian, ??) and toasted buckwheat (?) chips - Diver scallops, caramelized cauliflower, raisin-caper emulsion (a JG signature, as spectacular as ever) Middle course: Slow-cooked halibut, marinated peppers, lemon/garlic/chili sauce, broccoli puree A beautiful dish, especially the broccoli, which had a very deep but pure flavor. Mains: - Lemon butter-poached lobster (sous vide), vegetable tapioca, passion purée - I didn't want to share this. How can lemon/passion be this intense without overwhelming the lobster? One of the best lobster dishes I've ever eaten. - Caramelized beef sirloin with beef cheeks, onion confit & potato gratin - Dorade (I didn’t taste this one) - Slow-cooked arctic char with bitter greens I had the exotic dessert tasting: - Passion fruit pavlova - Coconut tapioca with clementine sorbet and a segment of fruit - Salted peanuts with chewy caramel, topped with chocolate sorbet – this is to Baby Ruth as db hamburger is to Burger King - Raspberry petit beurre This was my first visit since pastry chef Eric Hubert left. About half the desserts listed are still his. The new guy is from Daniel – I can’t remember his name – and everything was delicious. Oh, and the house-made marshmallows are back with the petits fours. Gruner Veltliner Weingut with apps, a light red Mercurey with mains - JG sent a sparkling rosé dessert wine. Southern girl, you are in for a treat!

"Mutton: breakfast of champions!" (see Borden, Lizzie) I'm sorry too, but not very.