FoodMan

When will these fruitcakes understand that HAVING A LIFE and EATING FRUIT FOR THE REST OF IT simply cannot go together. I do not care if "Annoying headaches, stomach attacks and all kinds of aches and pains familiar to us will simply disappear. " (unless you eat bad fruit I guess) or not if I cannot eat a good slab of meat on a regular basis (or a broiled eggplant for that matter).... next thing you know we'll be having grainanians, or maybe tofuanians, and the list can go on forever... it's just insane how much these weirdos are trying alter their diet and eat as "healthily" as possible and they still die like the rest of us (or am I wrong). until I see a vegan (or a fruitarian or a raw food eater) live to be 200 years old (or 120) then I will still say this whole healthy/wierd diet is nothing but a messed up fad that will pass away when they do. Just be thankful you have something to eat!!!! FM

Wednesday: For my B-day, my wife prepared her best dish: Garlic (and lots of it) studded roast beef for myself and her parents. It was absolutly fantsatic with garlic slivers through out. Served it with parsley and butter mashed potatoes and slow roasted esparagus with marjoram and a caper cream dressing. Thrusday: Roast beef left overs (best part) asian style. I sliced the beef very thin and reheated then tossed in a ginger/garlic/soy/sugar/gomasio sauce. Served it with sesame oil fried rice , julienned cukes, julienned carrots, cilantro, and green leaf lettuce. dessert: homemade rum raisin ice-cream (RAISINS RULE!!!!!) FM

Thanks for the reply Jin Sunday: -Balsamic glased roasted chicken with onions and red wine. -roasted potatoes. roasted in a healthy protion of duck fat until crispy and browned, sprinkled with chives -Cabbage and carrot salad with Gomasio dressing Monday: Dinner at the in-laws. Chicken thigh stew Colombian style, with lots of onions, peas, carrots, yuka and potatoes. served over rice. Teusday: -Halibut steaks. Smeared with a green onion/honey/lime/cumin mixture and broiled. -simple green salad with oil and vinegar dressing -white rice sprinkled with Gomasio (still experimenting with the stuff ) FM

Since no one answered this in the sesame thread I thought I'd re-post it here where all the Gomasio experts hang out : I made Gomasio this weekend and used 1.5 cups Sesame to about 0.5 cup Kosher salt (3:1). I used it in a cabbage sald as a dressing with some vinegar and oil. Very good albeit a little too salty. Is that how it is supposed to be? I mean am I to use it as I would use a seasoned salt? or is it supposed to be used liberally? What ratios do you use, for example when making a salad dressing with Gomasio (Gomasio to oil to vinegar)? If it is supposed to be less salty I can just add some ground sesame to it to adjust the saltiness. Please help. FM

I've been meaning to try out this Gelato recipe and serve it with the great looking Peach Crostada from the book the way he does. How did it turn out? Did u use a regular icecream maker or do you actually have a gelato maker ? FM

yes please

I absolutely love them: Cinnamon Raisin Bread rum Raisin ice cream (I'm soaking soem in rum as we speak to make a batch) in pilaf's in stuffings and dressings in Picadillo Pannetone the list goes on and on.... They add a great sweetness and that is like nothing else and it is VERY discernible. As for their texture, well I love that too (same goes for dates, dried apricots, prunes,...). Do you hate those as well? Other than the raisin-hating banter, I enjoyed the article . No seriously it was fun to read. Good work. FM

Most recipes I have read asks you to get rid of the marinade after using it to marinated a piece of meat. Why?? Usually there is a lot of good marinade left over that can be COOKED DOWN to a glaze or a dipping sauce. I do understand that re-using a marinade after marinating a piece of chicken in it without cooking the liquid will probably send us to the ER. However if it is heated to boiling and reduced, aren't all the nasties dead? Shouldn it not be safe to use? I do admit that I do toss out the marinade after using just because I've read it in so many places. I'm just not sure I should be wasting anything with flavor in it. What prompted this topic is Wolke's semi-recent article about marinades where he mentions that the used marinade should go down the drain, Click here for the article What do you do with your marinades after using them? FM

I did try this method a couple weeks ago and it is very good. The asparagus came out very flavorful, perfectly roasted and not mushy. I replaced the Tarragon with fresh marjoram though because my wife dislikes Tarragon and Marjoram worked perfectly. Do not skip the dressing, it went very good with the asparagus. FM

Chicken medallions, breaded with polenta and pan fried in some butter and olive oil. Served with corn mash and green tomato relish. Dessert: Creme Brulee Tart bought from a pastry shop. FM

Jin is absolutely right, $$$19 per pound for a frozen duck. I buy it (the whole duck) for no more than $2.50 per pound and just butcher it myself. You get the thighs, legs (confit), breasts, liver and the much coveted FAT. Try online at mapleleaffarms.com, it might be cheaper. FM

Foodman that sounds great, I wish I had that to eat right now! What's Arak? Arak is a middle eastern alcoholic beverage, it is probably about 80-100 proof (40-50% alcohol depending on the maker). It is made from femented grapes and distilled three times at least and flavored with anise. Arak is clear in color (like water) and turns milky white when you add water to it (which is how it is normally served with a couple of ice cubes). I love it along side traditinal Lebanese food, especially with a variety of mezze, kibbe, and kebabs. If you are interested you can find it in good liquer stores in the states (however mine is not store bought, it is made from my grandfather's vinyard in Lebanon). FM

Thursday: Chicken salad with Tarragon, homemade mayo, and pecans on wheat bread. Friday: Double cut pork chops marinated in lots of cracked pepper, evoo, and thyme. Seared and finished in the oven. topped with mustard cream sauce (cream,dijon, whole grain, reduced beef broth, shallots and garlic). This was served with Alsatian cabbage cooked with bacon, bacon fat, apples and carraway. Sunday: Lebanese Kofte kebabs cooked on the grill. Accompanied by all the fixins: -Hummus -Tabboulli -lebanese picklled cukes and turnips -Pita bread and a glass of Arak ....perfect Dessert: bannana Foster with Vanilla ice cream. FM

Sounds very interesting, can you elaborate. Recipe if possible????

I was about to ask about that... thanks for clarifying. Last time we went to NO for the weekend we could not get reservations at Emeril's but we did have dinner at NOLA and Delmonico. Both were superb. FM

Sunday dinner: - Spicy garlic/ginger chicken stir fry -Slow roasted Asparagus in parchement. This was in the latest issue of F&W and it is a great way to cook the stuff . Pile it in parchement, top with EVOO, S&P, a pinch of sugar, and fresh marjoram leaves. Form it into a package and bake on 200 degrees for 1.5 hours. then I tossed it in little dijon/caper/evoo vinaigrette. Very tasty. -white rice -Apple Tart Tatin for dessert. Monday: The night before I had made "Poilan's Miche" bread from Reinhart's book. It is a wonderfull sourdough whole wheat bread that according to its creator gets better after three days from baking it!!! I used that to make some smoked turkey and beef Pastrami sandwiches. Dessert: a simple chocolate cake with chocolate topping. FM

There is a recipe which I love in Batali's first cook book for "Pork loin with Onions in milk". Which is basically searing the loin, then baking it on top of thick cut onion rounds in milk. The milk will curdle and I usually blitz it in the blender to get a smoother texture (the sauce with onions only not the Pork!!!) once it is cooked then top the pork slices with it. I also love it cold the next day sliced thin in a crusty bread sandwich. I would imagine the pork shoulder would be delicious cooked like that as well. FM

Great article Dave, very fun to read a la Alton Brown What about the "Do not heat Teflon with out any oil or somekind of fat in it", myth or fact Dave? FM

-Chicken Tikka -Cilantro and Tomato Raita -Brown Rice FM

Tuna Salad Sandiwches, Albacore White Tuna/celery/olives/lemon juice/garlic/evoo/s&P in homemade Ciabtta bread with sliced boiled eggs and sliced tomatoes and lettuce. Adapted from the latest F&W magazine. FM

These seedless (English or Hot house cukes) ones are the only ones I buy, they are sweet, crunchy, no need to peel and ...no nasty pulp/sseds. Go for it, especially in a relish. FM

Sunday dinner with some friends at our place: - Homemade poolish Ciabbatta bruschetta: Topped with homemade Ricotta (courtesy of St. Batali), preserved eggplant (also from Batali's book), and drizzled with Jim Dixon's fantastic Olio Novo. -Lasagna Bolognese: layers of noodles, Beef Bolognese sauce, Balsamella, parmesan and Mozzarella. Rich and delicious. -Homemade Rum Raisin ice cream -Chocolate Souffles with Dreyer's Natural Vanilla Ice Cream. FM

Chef Achatz- Thank you so much for this interesting and inspiring Q&A. It has to be one of the best that I experienced on e-gullet, especially with the time you take to explain everything and answer every question. My question is: Where do you get your inspiration from? Is it just a spontaneouse thing or are there certain places you go to, things you read or see that just push a certain button and tells you "hey we can mix olives with chocolate and it will taste good"? Thanks again FM

Funny thing, I had a similar thing for lunch (sort of?) I left wotrk and drove to my apartment because I ahd some fried Colombian Empanadas . Guess what I ate them with? This great tomato chutney. Talk about fusion.... Glad to hear from you and your family Suvir FM

Teusday: thick boneless pork chops, rubbed with crushed black pepper and fennel seeds. they were seared in a cast iron pan, added some red grapes and deglazed with gingerale!! they were finished in the oven. This creation was very moist and delicious. the fennl/grape/gingerale combination worked great. I also served a brocolli, cucumber and carrot salad tossed with yogurt honey-mustard. Potatoes sliced thin and cooked with cream, thyme, garlic and onions. Wednesday: lemon chicken thighs, rubbed with chilli and cumin. seared and braised with white wine, broth and whole garlic cloves. sauteed cauliflower with mustard seeds, ginger and turmeric. cucumber raita. FM